Tag: Emirates Golf Club

Rory McIlroy makes DP World Tour history with 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic win

McIlroy is the tour’s first four-time winner of the event, having done so in 2009, 2015, 2023 and 2024.

Rory McIlroy defended his title at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and made a little history, too.

The 34-year-old Northern Irishman won the event for a fourth time on Sunday at Emirates Golf Club in the UAE, the first to do so in DP World Tour history.

McIlroy was 10 shots back entering Saturday’s third round before a 9-under 63 vaulted him into the final group Sunday. Two shots back to start the final round, the 17-time DP World Tour winner made three birdies on his front nine and held on to win by one shot at 14 under despite just one bogey on the round at the par-5 13th, his lone bogey of the weekend and first since the 11th hole on Friday.

“It’s a great start to the season,” said McIlroy who finished runner-up at last week’s Dubai Invitational. “I started well last year with the win here. A couple of little things still to work on but these weeks are great. You learn a ton from them and obviously great to get the competition and come out on top as well.”

“I thought on Friday night, I thought ten under for the weekend, I would have a really good chance to win,” he continued. “I shot (11 under) and ended up winning by one.”

If you’re keeping track at home, that’s now six wins in Dubai for McIlroy, where he’s adored by the fans.

“I’ve played the game long enough to sort of know how these things are going to go. Thankfully I played the golf I needed to and it’s just incredible to get my fourth win here at the Emirates.”

Adrian Meronk (71) finished runner-up at 13 under, while Cameron Young (74) came in third at 12 under. Pablo Larrazabal shot the low round of the day, a 6-under 66, to finish T-4 at 10 under alongside Aaron Cockerill (68) and Joaquin Niemann (70).

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Rory McIlroy charges with 63, only two back of leader Cameron Young at Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Rory McIlroy’s round was the best of the day… by four shots. 

Rory McIlroy started the day 10 shots behind leader Cameron Young.

With 18 holes left at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, McIlroy trails by only two. He shot 9-under 63 in the third round Saturday, moving into a tie for second at 12-under alongside Adrian Meronk.

McIlroy’s round was the best of the day… by four shots. His best shot was his last, an eagle putt from the fringe on the par-5 18th.

“I was walking up with the putter in my hand, and as I got closer to the ball, I saw that there was a lot of fringe to go through,” McIlroy said. “And I said to Harry, like I sort of want to chip it but the lie wasn’t great. I could just see the club bouncing. I was like, I’ll just sort of, I guess, ride my luck with the putter, and it came out perfectly. And as soon as it got on the green, it actually wasn’t as fast as I thought it was going to be once it got on the green. And it was tracking perfectly. Obviously a huge bonus for something like that to go in.

“But you know, for the rest of the day, I played some very, very good golf. Definitely better than I played the last couple of days and nice to get myself right back in the tournament.”

McIlroy went out in 5-under 30 before adding two more birdies and the eagle on the back nine.

McIlroy won the Dubai Desert Classic last year and has had plenty of success playing all over the world thanks to his incredible consistency. What is he most proud of during that time?

“I think the fact that I turn up every day still trying to get better,” McIlroy said. “I think the consistency that I’ve shown throughout my career, I’ve never lost the hunger to go out and play better. But I’ve also never lost the joy of the game, which I think is really, really important. It’s never felt like a job to me, and the day it does feel like a job is the day I need to give up.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates after an eagle putt on the 18th green during Round Three of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 20, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Young, who held a three-shot lead heading into the day, had his most up-and-down day of the tournament yet. After an 8-under round on Friday, he shot 1 under on Saturday in a round that includes four birdies, a bogey and a double.

“The front nine, especially, is kind of one of those days when a few things don’t quite go your way,” Young said. “I didn’t putt quite as well as I have the last few days, and with a little bit more wind, it wasn’t that easy. I think all in all, it was a good battle. And not obviously trying to be winning by ten after today, but two is better than none.”

Behind nine birdies, Cameron Young takes three-shot lead into weekend at Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Cameron Young is hitting bombs and dropping putts.

After two rounds at Emirates Golf Club, it doesn’t look like it’s Cameron Young’s first time at the course.

The American fired the round of the tournament Friday in Dubai, shooting 8-under 64 to take a three-shot lead heading into the weekend. Young had nine birdies and one bogey on his card and sits at 13 under in his Rolex Series event debut.

“I putted fantastic,” Young said. “I made a couple long ones yesterday and then made a few more today that those had no right going in I feel like. I hit a bunch of good putts but just one of those days where you kind of have a couple 30-footers and you look up and they are going right in the middle, which doesn’t happen all that often to have a bunch of them in one round. But really nicely and putted great.”

Young leads by three over Adrian Meronk, who Wednesday won the Seve Ballesteros Award as the DP World Tour’s Player of the Year for 2023, and Andy Sullivan.

Young had four straight birdies on Nos. 16-18 and No. 1 (he started on No. 10) and also added a pair of circles as Nos. 3-4 for six in seven holes. He bogeyed his closing hole, the par-4 ninth, his second 5 on the hole in as many days.

Tommy Fleetwood, who won last week, is T-15 at 5 under. Rory McIlroy sits T-25 at 3 under.

It was also a special round for European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, as he aced the par-3 fourth hole on Friday.

The victorious captain from 2023 and future captain for 2025 sits at 2 under for the tournament.

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Rory McIlroy recounts battle with Patrick Reed at Hero Dubai Desert Classic: ‘Had to be him’

“I think Patrick had just made eagle and I’m just like ‘Had to be him.'”

Last year was a battle between old foes — a challenge Rory McIlroy looks back on fondly.

The Northern Irishman and Ryder Cup rival Patrick Reed were once again in the midst of a showdown, this time at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Punches were thrown, rebuttals came frequently, and the trophy came down to the final hole.

After he was forced to lay up on the closing par 5, McIlroy hit his third to makeable range. Once the winning putt fell, McIlroy’s celebration showed the importance of the day.

“I think mentally today was probably one of the toughest rounds I’ve ever had to play because it would be really easy to let your emotions get in the way and I just had to really concentrate on focusing on myself,” said McIlroy afterward. “Forget who was up there on the leaderboard, and I did that really, really well.”

Hero Dubai Desert Classic
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates after holing the winning putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 30, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, McIlroy was asked to recount the moment.

“What I remember, I remember standing on the 10th tee and I think Patrick had just made eagle and I’m just like (dropping head), ‘Had to be him.’

“But I think just the sort of mental fortitude I showed on that back nine to not sort of let my emotions get the better of me and really stay focused, and yeah, just to make that birdie on the last to win by one, yeah, it meant — in the grand scheme of things, are people going to remember my third Dubai Desert Classic, I don’t know.

“But it meant a lot to me. I felt like I came through a bit of, not adversity, but I really just had to control my mind and my thoughts and my emotions on that back nine. I felt like I did a really golf club of that.”

Dubai Desert Classic: Photos

At a golf course where McIlroy owns an impressive course history — 3rd in 2022 on top of his wins in ’23, ’15 and ’09— it’s easy to see why he’s the favorite in ’24, especially when you account for his runner-up finish last week to Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational.

Before his solo second, McIlroy has played competitively just once since the Ryder Cup, the DP World Tour Championship in November, a tournament McIlroy admits he wasn’t “100 percent motivated.” (McIlroy had already locked up the season-long points title.)

“I feel like I’ve had a three-month off-season, basically. So I think once — you’re going to come back and play,” he said. “You’re going to make some of those mistakes early on, and you know, it’s good to play an event like last week where you can learn from them and try to put those things right this week.

“And in the bigger scheme of things, you know, with this being a Rolex Series Event and the success that I’ve had here, look, I would have loved to have won last week.

“But even with all those mistakes I made, the fact that I still had a one-shot lead going down the last, you know, it says to me that my game is in really good shape, and I should be quite excited for this week.”

After his title defense in Dubai, McIlroy is headed to the States for the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second signature event of the season.

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Photos: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and other stars at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic

The field in Dubai is loaded.

The DP World Tour is in Dubai for the second week in a row, this time for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates GC. Defending champion Rory McIlroy headlines the stacked field, and he’ll be joined by Tommy Fleetwood, last week’s winner at the Dubai Invitational (McIlroy finished runner-up).

Other names in the field include Champion Golfer of the Year Brian Harman, Adam Scott, Nicolai Hojgaard, Cameron Young and LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann.

On the betting side, McIlroy is the favorite at +260, followed by Tyrrell Hatton at 10/1 and Tommy Fleetwood at 11/1.

Here are some of the best photos from the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy has chance to accomplish a career first as Dubai event goes to Monday finish

McIlroy’s impressive run of form could lead him to a memorable win.

It’s not often that Rory McIlroy gets to cross something off his professional golf bucket list.

After all the current world No. 1 owns 35 professional wins –  including four major championships – and is the face of the European Ryder Cup team. He’s claimed the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup three times and the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai four times. Player of the Year and money list awards? He’s got those, too.

All that said, after three rounds in Dubai, McIlroy has a chance to accomplish a career first. Weather pushed this week’s 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic to a Monday finish, and with just 18 holes left the Northern Irishman finds himself at the top of the leaderboard with a three-shot advantage over Callum Shinkwin and Dan Bradbury (T-2, 12 under).

“I love this golf course. I love this tournament,” said McIlroy of Emirates Golf Club. “I’ve won here a couple of times. This is my first start of the year. I don’t think I’ve ever won in my first start of the year. I had plenty of chances at Abu Dhabi down the road over the years, and never quite got it done. So tomorrow is a nice opportunity to try to do something that I’ve never done before.”

He’s correct. McIlroy turned professional in 2007 and while he’s never won his first start of the new year, he’s logged 12 top-five finishes over the last 16 years (nine in Abu Dhabi).

Dating back to his Tour Championship win in October, McIlroy hasn’t finished worse than T-4 over his last six starts. After an overblown incident on the range with Patrick Reed to start the week, McIlroy now has a chance to end it on a high note.

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Drama in Dubai: Thomas Pieters tied for lead while LIV member and ex-European Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson paired with Luke Donald on Sunday

Things may get a bit awkward in Dubai.

Until the dispute between LIV Golf and the DP World Tour is settled in court, tension will riddle the range at most events throughout the season.

Exhibit A: Henrik Stenson, who lost his position as European Ryder Cup captain once he joined the Saudi-backed LIV Series, will be paired with Tyrrell Hatton, a Ryder Cup veteran, and Luke Donald, the man who replaced Stenson as captain, on Sunday for the third round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

All three players are 2 under through two days and eight back of Thomas Pieters, Richard Bland and Michael Thorbjornsen.

Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard, round three tee times

Thorbjornsen, a junior at Stanford and Massachusetts native, was a Golfweek 2022 All-American honorable mention. At the ’22 Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour, an event played down the road from where he grew up, Thorbjornsen finished solo fourth.

Rory McIlroy didn’t have his best stuff Saturday, making 15 pars, one birdie, one bogey and an eagle to post a day two 2-under 70. He’s tied for seventh, two back of the lead.

Patrick Reed, who’s been in headlines all week thanks to a viral moment with McIlroy, is also at 8 under. The old Ryder Cup rivals aren’t paired together for the third round.

A disappointment for most of the golf community.

Due to weather delays earlier in the week, play will conclude Monday in Dubai.

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Justin Harding leads Rory McIlroy by two entering final round at Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic

Rory McIlroy sits two shots behind Justin Harding; Tommy Fleetwood is just three back.

Justin Harding didn’t have a glamorous third round, only putting down three non-pars on the scorecard. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 offset an early bogey on eight for a Saturday 1-under 71 but Harding still holds a two-shot lead over his closest counterpart at the DP World Tour’s at Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic.

“I thought I played quite solid. It was a difficult day to be fair, some tough flags to get at,” he said. “There were times when I didn’t quite put the ball in play and I couldn’t really go anywhere near them.”

Despite the lead, he’s not counting on everyone behind him falling away on Sunday.

“At the end of the day, I’ve just got to go out and keep doing what I’m doing and make a couple of birdies and shoot 70, 69, something like that,” he said. “Make them shoot five or six under par and credit to them.”

The player sitting just two shots behind? Mr. Rory McIlroy.

He has now found himself in three Sunday final-round groups in his last four official starts. His scorecard consisted of four birdies, three bogeys, and an eagle for a day three total of 3-under 69. The big bird was set up by this beautiful, high-cut seven iron into the 10th.

“I’m excited. I had a really good chance back in 2018, sorta let it slip through my fingers there. It’s nice to give myself another opportunity.”

With a win Sunday, McIlroy would join Ernie Els as the only other player to win this event three times.

Other notable names and where they stand:

Tommy Fleetwood (T-3, 9 under)
Tyrrell Hatton (T-5, 8 under)
Viktor Hovland (T-13, 6 under)
Sergio Garcia (T-13, 6 under)
Collin Morikawa (T-20, 4 under)
Adam Scott (T-20, 4 under)

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Justin Harding builds two-shot lead heading into the weekend at Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic

Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland among names within striking distance.

After the first round was suspended due to darkness, Justin Harding came back Friday morning to play the par-5 18th hole last. He would make birdie and end the first round in a tie for the 18-hole lead. The South African would build on that throughout his Friday round.

Harding signed for four birdies, two bogeys, and a 183-yard hole-out eagle on the sixth for a second day 4-under 68.

“I rolled the ball pretty good and, for the most part, kept bogeys off the card. Hit the fairway on the longer, tougher par fours,” he said of his second-round effort. “Ultimately just grinding. It was a grind of a day today, to be fair, just a bonus there on six.”

Harding has been in contention at this event over the last few seasons and hopes to capitalize on his good play thus far.

Tyrrell Hatton reacts to holing his third shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the DP World Tour’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 28, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Tyrrell Hatton charged up the leaderboard with a second-round 6-under 66. The Englishman, after opening with a bogey, drew four-straight circles on the card on Nos. 2-5. He’d add three more birdies on his back nine and now sits two back in solo second.

“I didn’t get off to a great start with a bogey on the first hole but battled back from there and played a lot of good golf today and hope that can continue into the weekend,” Hatton said of his day. “I gave myself plenty of opportunities most of the day and putted lovely. Holed a couple of good par putts when I needed to and momentum was on my side today.”

After an up-and-down opening round, Rory McIlroy fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Friday highlighted by a chip-in eagle on the 13th.

“I certainly hit the ball as good as I’ve done in a long time and it could have been a few better but 66 this afternoon is a good score and sets me up for a nice weekend,” the Northern-Irishman said of his day.

McIlroy has won this event twice and is in prime position to jockey for a third.

Other notable names and where they stand:

Viktor Hovland (T-5, 7 under)
Tommy Fleetwood (T-10, 6 under)
Sergio Garcia (T-25, 3 under)
Collin Morikawa (T-25, 3 under)
Adam Scott (T-25, 3 under)

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Joachim Hansen leads Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, but opening round suspended due to darkness

Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood, and Collin Morikawa sit within three strokes of leader Joachim Hansen.

The DP World Tour is in Dubai this week for the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club. Several of the biggest names in golf are in the field including Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, and Viktor Hovland.

They’re all chasing Joachim Hansen, who fired an opening-round, bogey-free 7-under 65, which included a stretch of four consecutive birdies beginning at the second hole. It was good enough to grab the clubhouse lead when play was suspended due to darkness. The Danish Olympian tied for 62nd last week in Abu Dhabi.

Sergio Garcia also got through Thursday’s round without making a bogey, signing for a 5-under 67. Joining Garcia at 5 under is Tommy Fleetwood, who’s coming off a mediocre performance at Yas Links where he tied for 48th.

Tommy Fleetwood of England looks on during day one of the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 27, 2022, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Morikawa had it rolling during his opening nine, making six birdies to turn with a 31. He would add another birdie on the second (his 11th), before limping home with three bogeys on his last four holes for a 68. After a disappointing finish last week (T-62), Morikawa put in a lot of work before his Thursday effort.

“It was a disappointing finish but I’ve been working Monday through Wednesday, late into yesterday even after the pro-am just trying to figure things out,” he said. “When you’re thinking about so much you always have to remember to go and play golf so I’m happy with the four under, not thrilled, but to see some of the things that I’ve been working on show up on the course was really nice.”

The American will tee off Friday at least three back.

The opening round was suspended due to darkness with six golfers still on the course. That included Justin Harding, who currently sits at 6 under, and has the par 5 last to play and could take the outright lead with an eagle.  Play is expected to resume Friday morning.

Other notable names to complete their round and where they sit include:

Hovland (4 under)
Tyrrell Hatton (3 under)
Adam Scott (3 under)
Thomas Pieters (2 under)
Rory McIlroy (1 under)

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