A relative surprise tops a star-studded leaderboard at the 2024 DP World Tour Championship through two rounds of action at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Estates. Antoine Rozner finds his name one clear of Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton and two clear of Joaquin Niemann after a second-round 65 catapulted him to 9 under for the tournament.

Showing off a revamped backswing he spent weeks working on, McIlroy kept his misses to a minimum in posting an opening-round 67 and is tied for the lead after the first day of the event with Tyrrell Hatton at 5 under.

Rory McIlroy has had a very tumultuous year. McIlroy came up short at the U.S. Open in heartbreaking fashion, missed the cut at The Open, and lost steam at the PGA Tour Championship, finishing ninth.