Lowry and Elvira share second round lead at Dubai Invitational

Shane Lowry and Nacho Elvira both produced brilliant rounds of 68 in windy conditions to earn a two-shot lead at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.

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The Irishman began the day three shots behind good friend and Grand Slam champion Rory Mcllroy, but some stunning iron play and clutch putting saw him overhaul his playing partner.

Lowry is aiming to secure his first DP World Tour title since winning the 2022 BMW PGA Championship and he showcased his quality with five birdies and two bogeys.

Spaniard Elvira surged into contention thanks to four birdies in his final six holes for a matching 68 — the best rounds of the day — to set the clubhouse target of five under.

Having been joined at the summit of the leaderboard earlier in the day, Mcllroy regained his one-shot advantage when he birdied the third to reach six under.

That lead was briefly extended to two when Antoine Rozner’s early birdie burst was offset by a double bogey, but Mcllroy dropped a shot at the sixth.

A skewed chip left a difficult par putt for Mcllroy to save par at the ninth and when it slid by, he was in a two-way tie for the lead at four under.

In the group ahead, Lawrence carded back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth - the latter with a sumptuous hole-out from the bunker - to join that mark.