Rory Mclroy makes "frustrated" admission after struggles in round two of DP World Tour season finale

Rory McIlroy says he began to get frustrated with the golf course despite strengthening his bid for a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title by moving into a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship.

The reigning Masters champion carded a 2-under 70 in his second round, featuring five birdies and three bogeys, to join fellow European Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton at the top of the leaderboard.

Spain's Eugenio Chacarra, who leads McIlroy by 533.93 points in the season-long race - with 2,000 available to the winner - is four strokes adrift of the lead at the halfway stage. 

McIlroy's hopes of matching Colin Montgomerie's record of eight Race to Dubai titles were also handed a further boost by a disappointing round from former Ryder Cup rival Patrick Reed, who carded a disastrous 77 to slip to second-last.

"I played very solidly for those first 11 holes and then 12 felt like the first time I'd really put myself out of position," McIlroy told Sky Sports' Tim Barter. 

"Once you do start putting yourself out of position on this golf course, this setup, these conditions, it starts to get very, very difficult. 

"It's very easy to make bogeys out there, just a little bit off. If you miss a fairway or even if you miss a green, the lies around the greens aren't very good and then you're sort of having to think about are you going to try to putt it or chip it or bump and run it or fly it. 

"It's very, very tricky once you get yourself out of position. Easy to make bogeys but it was nice to at least birdie the last and I feel like I salvaged the day a little bit with that birdie."

McIlroy began his day with two consecutive pars before picking up his first birdie of the day at the 3rd. Back-to-back birdie putts dropped from the 7th and he made the turn in 3-under par. 

He dropped his first shot of the day after hitting a wild tee shot left at the 12th and couldn't scramble to save his par from the front of the green.

McIlroy made par at the 13th, 14th and 15th before he dropped two more shots at the 16th and 17th. 

McIlroy said he felt like a birdie at the last salvaged his round. 

Asked if he felt like his concentration lapped at any point, McIlroy said: "No, if anything I started to get frustrated with the golf course. 

"As it dries out, lies in the fairways aren't very good and greens start to get bumpy. 

"I started to get maybe a little bit frustrated with the course on the way in but I think it's just the nature of it. 

"It's a tough test and I think as well, I've been coming to this golf course for 17 years and this is the toughest I think it's ever played. 

"In my mind, it's sort of like well you should be going out and shooting 66 or 65 and the course just isn't set up that way this week. 

"You just have to show a little bit more patience out there."