Published Thursday, 08 December 2011
After the first nine holes of the Dubai World Championship the 22-year-old US Open champion, needing to win to have any chance, was three behind Donald and seven shots off the lead.
But the picture then changed completely on the inward half.
McIlroy grabbed six birdies for a 66 that leaves him in third place, only two behind Swede Peter Hanson, while Donald had three successive bogeys from the 14th and signed for a level-par 72.
Should the Holywood man lift the tournament trophy on Sunday, Donald will have to finish in the top nine to complete his unprecedented money list double.
He finished the day in a tie for 26th.
It did not look the likely outcome when McIlroy lost a ball on only his fifth shot of the day and ran up a double bogey seven, but Donald was in the bushes on both the 14th and 15th and then failed to save par from a fairway bunker at the next.
Hanson, meanwhile, equalled the course record set by Lee Westwood in winning the inaugural event two years ago and matched by Ross Fisher last November.
The 34-year-old has not won since making his Ryder Cup debut 14 months ago, but was third behind McIlroy in Hong Kong on Sunday.