McIlroy fades in opening round in Dubai
Rory McIlroy bogeyed three of his last four holes to find himself four shots off the pace in his defence of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The world number two is bidding for a record fourth win at the Emirates Golf Club, but after making birdies at the 10th, 13th, 16th and 18th to head into his final nine holes just a shot off the lead, he came home in three-over 38 to card a one-under 71 and finish his opening round tied for 27th.
He was four strokes behind 2018 winner Li Haotong, England’s Andy Sullivan, Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard and American Cameron Young, who carded five-under 67s for a one-stroke lead over a seven-strong chasing pack featuring Spain’s Sebastian Garcia, Danish trio Soren Kjeldsen, Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, Poland’s Adrian Meronk, England’s Richard Mansell and South Africa’s Louis De Jager.
Haotong, who held off McIlroy to win the Dubai Desert Classic in 2018, was enjoying the good karma as he set the early pace with a five-under par 67 in his comeback season after missing 18 of 22 cuts last term.
He was joined in a share of the lead by afternoon starters Sullivan, Rasmus Hojgaard and American star Young, who has his former Wake Forest University teammate Paul McBride on his bag for this week only.
Young has yet to win as a professional but should he claim the €1.4 million top prize it could mean a nice pay-day for former Walker Cup star McBride, who will be bidding to progress from the Alps Tour this year.
Young played the demanding front nine in one-over but came home in six-under 31 as he followed birdies at the 10th, 13th, 16th and 17th with an eagle three from 45 feet at the 18th.
“I was proud of the way I handled it,” Young said. “I think early on, I saw some people four, five-under par through eight or ten holes and kind of assumed that someone would shoot seven or eight, and kind of found out like halfway through my round that no one had shot better than five.
“I think put it in perspective that I was even or one-over at the time, and felt like I was playing all right and knew I had those chances.
“I think it kind of helped me just wait for those to come, knowing that even or one over through the front nine isn't bad and you have a chance to shoot, you figure, two or three, and to make those birdies and eagle on the last was tremendous.”
McIlroy followed a bogey at the first with a birdie at the second but his struggles began in earnest at the sixth, where he three-putted from 36 feet.
He then short-sided himself and bogeyed the 173-yard seventh after an indifferent pitch, before another shot went at the iconic eighth, where a missed the green from the centre of the fairway.
He also struggled for par at the ninth, where he found a fairway bunker from the tee and saw his four-footer for par loop the rim of the cup before dropping.
Tom McKibbin was tied 42nd after making two birdies and two bogeys in a 72 while veteran Pádraig Harrington opened his season with a one-over 73 featuring three birdies and four bogeys.
Tom McKibbin was tied 42nd after making two birdies and two bogeys in a 72 while veteran Pádraig Harrington opened his season with a “stressful” one-over 73 featuring three birdies and four bogeys.
“I had no idea where it was going so a 73 was a decent effort,” Harrington said on social media.
