Nicolai Højgaard carded a bogey-free, 7-under 65 featuring an eagle at the par-5 2nd to take a three-shot lead at 12-under at the DP World Tour Championship.

The Dane has won three times on the DP World Tour including his last win at the 2023 DP World Tour Championship.

“It’s great to be back, it’s one of my favourite tournaments and courses to play,” said Højgaard. “I stayed really patient again. Yesterday was a really good round and I feel that I actually played a little bit better today. It’s just staying patient.

“There are plenty of chances out there, but it’s easy to make a silly bogey out of being too aggressive so trying to navigate my way around there a little bit. Staying patient has been the highlight so far.

“It suits my eye. You talk about golf courses suiting your eye, I really like it off the tee. It’s a precision course as well, it’s a mix of a driver down to a four-iron and it plays into my strength which is mid-irons.

“It’s just a really good fit for me and I’ve played some really good golf again so hopefully we can keep it up.”

Denmark’s Rasmus Neergard-Petersen eagled the par-5 14th and made five birdies and two bogeys for a 67 and a share of the five-way tie for second place at 9-under alongside New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier who made three bogeys for a 68.

Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy are also tied in second place. England’s Rose and Ireland’s Shane Lowry both carded bogey-free 67s while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy made three bogeys and closed with a 67.

American Michael Kim who held the overnight lead made two birdies , four bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 12th for a 76 and moved down into T21 at 4-under.

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