ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — In a remarkable display of skill, Paul Waring achieved a personal best by scoring an incredible 11-under 61 during the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday. His outstanding performance puts him five strokes ahead of the competition as he heads into the weekend at this prestigious event, which marks the beginning of the European tour playoffs.

The 229th-ranked golfer from England struck a perfect draw with his 3-wood from roughly 260 yards on the 18th hole, landing the ball within four feet of the cup. He capped off his round by sinking a birdie putt, elevating his total score to 19-under par for the tournament. According to the European tour, this remarkable score represents the lowest 36-hole performance relative to par in the tour’s history.

Waring began the tournament with a solid 64 on Thursday. He successfully recorded nine birdies and one eagle during a flawless round at Yas Links, setting a new course record in the process. Following him, the first-round leader, Tommy Fleetwood, also from England, shot a 68, while Johannes Veerman from the United States recorded a 67. Danish players Niklas Norgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen are also in contention, both sitting at 14 under after posting scores of 65 and 67, respectively.

Rory McIlroy faced challenges in his round, making a triple bogey on the 17th hole to finish his second consecutive round of 67, placing him nine strokes behind Waring. Nonetheless, McIlroy has the opportunity to secure his sixth Race to Dubai title if he manages to win this week.