( CNN ) -- It has been a long season for Henrik Stenson but the Swede is on the verge of ending it in style after taking the halfway lead at the DP World Tour Championship . With a win in Dubai , Stenson would become the first man to claim the Race to Dubai -- finishing as the European No . 1 -- and FedEx Cup in the United States in the same season . And the 37-year-old moved closer to making history as he surged atop the leaderboard on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates by carding an eight-under-par 64 to move to a total of 12 under . Undone by a bogey on his last hole in the first round , the current European Tour leader did n't drop a shot in the second and struck eight birdies . `` I have my game plan cemented on this course and it 's been working out great the first two days , '' Stenson , who is nursing a lingering wrist injury , told the European Tour 's website Friday . `` It could have been a bit better but there is no point being greedy . I am delighted with the first two days ' work . '' Stenson is one of three golfers guaranteed of capturing the Race to Dubai by claiming the title this weekend -- the others are Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell -- and he admits he is keeping an eye on his major rivals . If Ian Poulter emerges triumphant in Dubai , Stenson needs to finish second to clinch the Race to Dubai . Rose and Poulter are five shots adrift but McDowell appears to be out of contention at eight shots behind . `` I keep track of what 's happening with the other players , I 'm too curious not to , '' said Stenson . `` I saw both Justin and Ian are seven under so they are chasing me as hard as they can . `` They are not going to back down so I better keep my foot and my head down , play another two good rounds and see where that takes me . I am in a great position to have a shot at winning and hopefully I will be there on Sunday afternoon . '' Unheralded Spaniard Alejandro Canizares put in his second consecutive solid round -- a 67 -- and trails Stenson by a shot . Last year 's Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy -- watched this week by his tennis playing girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki -- sits six shots behind Stenson . McIlroy has mostly had a season to forget but his 67 Friday lifted his mood . `` I finally feel I have got to the stage now when I can contend week in , week out and on the rare times I have got into contention this year I feel like I have played my best golf , '' the former world No . 1 told the European Tour 's website .
Henrik Stenson shoots an eight-under-par 64 to take the lead in Dubai . Stenson bidding to become first man to win FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in same season . The Swede holds a one-shot lead over unheralded Spaniard Alejandro Canizares . Justin Rose will win the Race to Dubai if he wins the tournament and is five shots adrift .