Rory McIlroy had said he was happy not to be paired with Lee Westwood today - and there was no reason for him to change his mind after resuming the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World with back to back birdies.
A superb approach to three feet on the 454 yard first - a hole Ireland's Damien McGrane had four-putted earlier in the day - was followed by a four on the long par five second hole and McIlroy was up into a tie for second.
Leading The European Tour money list by over €128,000 entering the last tournament, the 20 year old Northern Irishman was involved in a battle primarily with Westwood.
They had gone head to head on the opening day and after scoring a 68 to Westwood's 66 McIlroy admitted he had not been able to focus solely on his own game.
Today they were three groups apart and with his flying start the pair were level on six under par, one behind overnight pacesetter Robert Allenby.
German Martin Kaymer and England's Ross Fisher were the other two players still in with a chance of the Order of Merit crown, but they had to finish fourth and second respectively.
Kaymer still had hopes of that when he went to the turn in 34 and with six to play stood three under, but a one under par 71 for level par at halfway was not what Fisher was looking for.
“I'm really disappointed. I felt I played really, really well, but now I've just got to try to go for everything,” said the current Volvo World Match Play Championship winner, who celebrates his 29th birthday on Sunday.
Australian Allenby led by one from not only Westwood and McIlroy, but also by Chris Wood and Colombian Camilo Villegas.
Westwood responded to McIlroy's thrust by starting with two birdies as well and, with Allenby bogeying the first, took over top spot.
Westwood's second to the opening green was just as good as McIlroy's - it finished almost on the same spot - and he then two-putted the 583-yard par five next hole to move to eight under.
Westwood led by two for a while, but Wood hit back from an initial three-putt bogey on the first hole with birdies on the next two that pulled him to within one shot of the lead.
Westwood responded to McIlroy's thrust by starting with two birdies as well and, with Allenby bogeying the first, took over top spot.
His second to the opening green was just as good as the 20 year old's - it finished almost on the same spot - and he then two-putted the 583-yard par five next hole to move to eight under.
Westwood led by two for a while, but Wood hit back from an initial three-putt bogey on the first hole with birdies on the next two.
One look at the leaderboard would tell McIlroy could be afford no let-up - and on the 572 yard par fifth seventh his second shot not just made the green, but rolled down a slope to four feet.
He made it for eagle and with that shared top spot with Westwood.
