Rory McIlroy is not playing at the level we have come to expect, but has precedence to lean on at the Hero Desert Dubai Classic.
Kiwi Dan Hillier fired a seven-under 65 to sit second after two rounds at the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club. The world No. 223 scored five birdies and an eagle during a bogey-free second round to surge up the leaderboard and hold the lead until Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson also shot 65 to take the lead at 12-under.
Reigning Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy gets his 2025 DP World Tour season up and running at the prestigious Hero Dubai Desert Classic this week. McIlroy won the Rolex Series event at the
Leading second-round scores from the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic on Friday (par 72; GBR & IRL unless stated):
Tom McKibben, who was warned by Rory McIlroy against joining the LIV Tour this week, is in contention at the Dubai Desert Classic, heading into the weekend's action.
David Ford, a 22-year-old American amateur making his debut on the European tour, upstaged Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and many of the world's top players at the Dubai Desert Classic to take a share of the first-round clubhouse lead Thursday.
Hero Dubai Desert Classic has a cutline after 36 holes. The DP World Tour event kicked off with its inaugural round on Thursday, January 16. After two rounds, it will have a cutline.
After last week’s Ryder Cup warm-up event the DP World Tour resumes regular action with the Dubai Desert Classic in which Rory McIlroy is eyeing up a hat trick of victories. 🏆 The Dubai Desert
Tyrell Hatton is among several elite golfers playing this week at the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic. He was joined by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood, among others in the field.
Playing the par-5 13th hole at Emirates GC, the rising star drove one way right and into the trees. After consulting with his cadde, Bhatia determined his best option was to punch out down the eighth hole, which he did to perfection. There was just one, big problem: The eighth hole was marked as internal OB for those playing No. 13.
Did he deliberately play his shot long, knowing he could get a favorable bounce off the grandstand? Such an act is known as “grandstanding” and takes place in pro tournaments all over the world. If his ball got stuck in the hospitality area, he’d get a favorable drop.