Rory McIlroy barely makes it as Jon Rahm misses out at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland both missed the cut and Rory McIlroy was forced to battle it out on the weekend as the major players battled it out at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Ewen Ferguson took full advantage.

Ferguson, a Scot ranked 141st, shot a 7-under 65 and was an unlikely one-shot leader after the second round of the prestigious European Tour on Friday.

Ferguson jumped into the lead thanks to a huge stroke of luck late in the day on the par-5 18th hole, where he hit his second shot but saw the ball bounce off the big billboard and back onto the green, landing 5 feet from the pin . He made an eagle to move to 12 under for the week.

New Zealand’s David Hillier, ranked 223rd, also shot 65 to move into second place and the only player within three strokes of Ferguson. 17th-ranked Tyrrell Hatton (65) was in a three-way tie for third place at 8 under.

Rahm, 77, a two-time major winner who now plays the renegade LIV Golf Course, and No. 8 Hovland, 73, headed home early after two tough days at Emirates Golf Club, where the winds are variable, high and strong and testing pin placement made for tough conditions.

“I wouldn’t say anything that went well,” said Rahm, who dropped to 31st in the rankings. “No part of today’s game was even average compared to what I would like to feel.”

McIlroy will be hanging around, but he doesn’t seem to be in the necessary form, especially with the putter, to win the tournament for the third year in a row.

The third-ranked Northern Irishman steamed over the final few holes, barely cracking a smile even as he birdied No. 18 to shoot 71 and move to 3-under par for the tournament.

McIlroy was nine shots off the lead after hitting just 39 feet in his entire second round.

“A little bit frustrated,” McIlroy said. “But I thought the conditions were a little tricky.”

However, McIlroy was delighted to be reminded that he trailed by 10 shots after 36 holes last year before repeating as champion.

“I would say the winning score won’t be much above what the current leader is, especially the way the course is going to play over the weekend, and especially the way this golf course has played over the past few weekends,” McIlroy said.

“The greens are going to continue to get a little bit firmer and it’s going to give a big advantage to putting in the fairway and hitting a lot of greens. If I can focus on that over the weekend, put away a few times, I think I still have a decent chance.”

Ferguson is a three-time winner on the European Tour, with his most recent victory coming at the BMW International Open in July.