“It will be incredibly difficult to ever find a golf course in better condition than this” – a bold statement coming directly from Jon Rahm, who shares the 36-hole lead at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Yas Links with Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta. The Spaniard stands at a staggering 12 under par and, despite the apparent perfection, has a clear warning for the competition.
Perfection, but with a Catch
The greens are immaculate, the fairways firm – perfect conditions to go low, especially when the wind is calm. Rahm praised this flawless layout, which allows the pros to attack with full risk. But he's realistic: as soon as the pin positions become trickier or the notorious slopes come into play, Yas Links can become extremely challenging. Unwanted recovery shots lurk everywhere.
Rahm's own second round was very strong, even though he admitted to making two unexpected errors off the tee. But aside from that, his game ran like clockwork. After a seven-week tournament break and his first appearance following his departure from LIV Golf, it's impressive how quickly he's back in top form and immediately getting a closer look at Yas Links on his debut.
McIlroy Hot on His Heels
The weekend promises high drama. While Rahm, Hatton, and Laporta jointly sit atop the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy is breathing down their necks just one shot back. His 11 birdies in his round of 63 were a statement, especially after recovering from a two-stroke penalty early on. If the wind picks up or the pin positions are set even trickier, Rahm's course assessment will become reality – and then things will get very serious on the greens!
