Rory McIlroy's bid for victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship suffered a significant setback after a costly triple bogey on the 17th hole derailed his otherwise impressive second round.
The world number three had been cruising at seven-under through 16 holes before disaster struck at the par-3 17th.
Despite the late stumble, McIlroy managed to card a five-under 67, his second consecutive round of that score.
The Northern Irishman now sits nine shots behind surprise leader Paul Waring, who shot a stunning course record 61 to reach 19-under par at the halfway stage.
McIlroy detailed how the trouble began with what seemed like a good shot. "I feel like I hit a nice shot into 17, a nice flighted 5-iron, hit the downslope, trundled into the bunker," he said.
The situation worsened when he struggled to escape the sand.
A triple-bogey for Rory McIlroy saw him tumble down the leaderboard
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"There wasn't a lot of sand wherever the ball was in the bunker there, and I just sort of made a mess of it from there," McIlroy explained.
However, he showed resilience by finishing strongly. "Bounced back well with two good shots into the last and made a birdie there," the four-time major winner added.
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Waring, ranked 229th in the world, dominated the day with a masterclass performance that included nine birdies and an eagle.
The 39-year-old Englishman holed his second shot from 119 yards at the sixth hole for eagle.
He finished his round in spectacular fashion on the par-five 18th, hitting his third shot from 265 yards to within three feet of the pin.
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"That was the best shot I've ever hit in my life to be honest," Waring said of his final approach.
His remarkable round gave him a five-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjorn Olesen, Johannes Veerman and Niklas Norgaard.
McIlroy acknowledged he faces a significant challenge to get back into contention, drawing parallels with his January comeback in Dubai.
Paul Waring, ranked 229th in the world, has taken the lead
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"I shot 63 on that Saturday in Dubai and I'm going to need something similar, if not lower, to give myself a chance going into Sunday," he said.
The Northern Irishman believes course conditions could play a crucial role in his chances.
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Rory McIlroy has fallen out of the top 10 at the Abu Dhabi Championship
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"I need the golf course to firm up a little bit and toughen up a little bit to have a chance. There's so many gettable holes out there," McIlroy explained.
He remains hopeful, noting: "I know it's out there. I was 7-under through 13 holes today. So it is possible."
