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McIlroy started out two shots ahead of Yannik
Paul after carding an opening nine-under-par 62, but having
begun the second round with two early birdies the eighth hole
threatened to undo all his good work.
The world number two twice hit the water to card a quadruple
bogey seven on the par-three hole, before three birdies on the
back nine kept the Northern Irishman at the top of the
leaderboard.
Paul kept pace with McIlroy despite making three bogeys on the
front nine, also carding 70 to stay two shots off the lead, and
the German was joined in second place by Jeff Winther of
Denmark.
Winther shot the joint lowest round of the day with a
five-under-par 65, and only a bogey on the final hole deprived
him of outright second place.
"I'm surprised, I haven't played since Mauritius, first ball I
hit was here on Monday, quite hungover, so I'm very, very
pleased," Winther said after celebrating his wife's birthday at
the weekend.
Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjorn Olesen and Thriston Lawrence remained
three shots off the lead, and were joined by Jordan Smith and
Zander Lombard on seven-under-par. (Reporting by Trevor Stynes,
editing by Ed Osmond)
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