ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Rory McIlroy rebounded from his first-round penalty controversy by making 11 birdies and shooting 9-under 63 at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on Friday, leaving him one stroke off the 36-hole lead.

Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta were all 12 under to share the lead after two rounds at Yas Links.

On Thursday, McIlroy was handed a two-shot penalty after his first round when officials ruled he had improved his lie on a hole where he made double bogey. He posted a 2-under 70 to be eight shots back of first-round leader Laporta of Italy.

“Before I left the course, I made peace with it. I didn’t dwell on it,” McIlroy said Friday. “I’d much rather be two shots worse off than be called a cheat. At least I went out today (and) it wasn’t playing on my mind. I had a clear conscience and I could just go and play.”

The Northern Irishman's second round started with a bogey, but he made three birdies through the next six holes before five straight birdies on Nos. 9-13.

McIlroy's second bogey – on the 14th – was followed by three birdies on the final four holes.

“I did everything well again. I drove the ball well. I hit my irons well. I putted a little bit better,” he said. “I saw a few more putts go in, which is something that I haven't been seeing for the last couple months.”

He said he worked on putting last week with his coach Brad Faxon.

Hatton made eight birdies in his round of 65, with a short missed par putt on the 16th accounting for his lone scorecard blemish.

“Obviously there's been a couple of mistakes, but overall compared to where I've been at over the last month and a half, it's nice to put a couple of decent scores together again,” the Englishman said.

Alongside McIlroy one shot back at 11 under were Englishmen Matthew Jordan and Sam Bairstow, as well as Poland's Adrian Meronk, a recent winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The two-week postseason playoffs on the DP World Tour began with the 224th-ranked Laporta shooting 10 under to take a three-stroke lead over three players. Laporta managed just a 70 on Friday to reach 11 under.

The subplot in this next-to-last event of the 2026 season is the fight for the Race to Dubai title, which crowns the No. 1 player on the DP World Tour each year.

It looks to be down to McIlroy, Patrick Reed (71) and Eugenio Chacarra (71), the current leader in the standings.

McIlroy is seeking a fifth straight Race to Dubai title to move level on the all-time list on eight with Colin Montgomerie, who won the award when it was called the Order of Merit.