Rory McIlroy struggled with a cold putter but believes he can still win a record fifth Hero Dubai Desert Classic and his third in a row.

Rory McIlroy was pleased not play his way out of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after chiselling out a 70 that left him tied with LIV target Tom McKibbin and veteran Padraig Harrington.

Rory McIlroy has urged Tom McKibbin to “make a different choice” and turn down the chance to go to LIV Golf for what's believed to be in the region of $8 million.

Padraig Harrington has questioned Tom McKibbin’s expected move to LIV Golf and insists the Holywood star would be “better off learning to compete and win more in Europe”.

Tom McKibbin performed like a veteran as he partnered Tyrrell Hatton to a fourball win over Antoine Rozner and Julien Guerrier and helped Great Britain take a 3.5-1.5 lead over Continental Europe in the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is unfazed by talk of Tom McKibbin’s potential move to LIV Golf and hopes the Holywood star can impress him in this week’s Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Tom McKibbin has been named Men’s Professional of the Year by the Irish Golf Writers’ Association for the second year running.

Tom McKibbin shot a second successive over-par rounds for the first time since September to find himself 13 shots off the pace in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City.

Holywood’s Tom McKibbin will have a chance to show his Ryder Cup potential after being included in Justin Rose’s Great Britain and Ireland side for the Team Cup match against Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from January 10-12.

Shane Lowry is backing Tom McKibbin to make golf’s elite no matter what happens in the Holywood star’s battle for a PGA Tour card at this week’s DP World Tour Championship.

Paul Waring held off a stellar chasing pack to clinch a career-changing victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy were left to wonder what might have been.

It wasn’t perfect but Rory McIlroy gave his new takeaway the thumbs up after he made six birdies in a five-under 67 to lurk just five shots behind leader Tommy Fleetwood in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Joe Dean, Thorbjørn Olesen and Jesper Svensson share the first round lead at the FedEx Open de France after carding six under par rounds of 65.

Amateur Sean Keeling crashed back to earth with an 81 but Tom McKibbin and Seamus Power made headway as high winds sent scores soaring in the third round of the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down.

Tom McKibbin admits playing Royal County Down for the first time was a “traumatising” experience. But as he makes his third Amgen Irish Open appearance in a stellar threesome with Rory McIlroy and defending champion Vincent Norrman, he’s looking forward to trying to achieve what “would probably be the biggest achievement of my career.”