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Rory McIlroy becomes the first four-time winner of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. McIlroy’s victory moves him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings, following his runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational.Adrian Melonk took second place ahead of Cameron Young.
by Ali Stafford
14:18, UK, Sunday 21 January 2024
Rory McIlroy successfully defended his Hero Dubai Desert Classic title, claiming a record fourth win at the event after an impressive one-shot victory.
McIlroy raced into contention with a third-round 63 at Emirates Golf Club after closing in on the half-time lead by 10 strokes, moving within two strokes of Cameron Young, but an impressive final round played the field. I got out of it.
The world No. 2 shared the lead through the first four holes, took sole advantage on the sixth after mistakes by Young and Adrian Mellonk, then made back-to-back birdies from the eighth before McIlroy turned on the first. reached. Three stroke cushion.
McIlroy extends his advantage with a great long-distance putt on No. 8 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
McIlroy’s advantage narrowed from 4 to 1 after Melonk made back-to-back birdies on the back nine, but the four-time major champion shot a 2-under 70 to hold off his rivals and take his first win of the year. .
Joy of Dubai for McIlroy
McIlroy made a sensational tee shot on the par-4 second, drove the green and two-putted from 30 feet for birdie. Meanwhile, Melonk also took advantage of the par-5 third to come within one shot of Young.
Young missed a chance to double his lead from within 4 feet on the fourth, and his tee shot stopped next to a tree stump for bogey on the sixth, while McIlroy rose and fell from the sand. He saved par and temporarily made it three points. Tie a weight tie at the top.
Melonk reached the water midway through a double bogey on the seventh, and Young missed his shot on the same par-3, but McIlroy made a sensational save from behind the seventh green to take a one-stroke lead.
McIlroy responded to his average approach to the next par-4 with a big breaking putt from 30 feet and added a birdie on the 9th to take the turn at 33, but Young had a chance on the par-5 10th. It ended without being able to take advantage of it. A birdie brings us back within two.
Young bogeyed the next two holes and briefly moved McIlroy within four, but the Northern Irishman gave the field hope when he blasted his tee shot into the trees on the 13th, which was followed by a bogey six. Ta.
Melonk made back-to-back birdies starting at the 13th hole and came within one lead, but as McIlroy regained the course with a two-putt par, he ran into thick rough on the 16th hole and made bogey, dropping him. tournament.
Best action from the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as Rory McIlroy clinched his fourth title
Young held on for a sliver of hope by converting from 25 feet on the 16th to tie Mellonk for second place, but his next bogey gave him a two-shot advantage over McIlroy until the end of the par-5.
McIlroy found the rough left of the green on his second shot, made a good throw to 10 feet, and then two-putted for the par he needed to one stroke past Melonk for his first win of 2024.
Melonk, the DP World Tour Player of the Year, took second place with a 1-under 71, ahead of Young, who had a birdie at the end to finish the final round with a 74, while Joaquin Niemann tied for fourth with Aaron Cockerill and Pablo Larrazabal. It became.
Haotong Li, Nikolaj Hejgaard, Masahiro Kawamura and Adam Scott rounded out the top 10, while Tommy Fleetwood, who helped McIlroy win the Dubai Invitational last week, finished tied for 14th.
Hao Tong Li makes a remarkable recovery to return to par after being forced to drop with a wild tee shot at the Dubai Desert Classic
McIlroy: “Great start to the season”
McIlroy’s victory follows his runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational last Sunday, and the reigning Race to Dubai champion is confident of getting a fast start to 2024 in the coming months.
“It’s a great start to the season,” McIlroy said after the win. “Last year I got off to a good start with a win here, but it was a little more dramatic on the final green compared to today.
McIlroy says fourth Dubai Desert Classic win: ‘It’s a good platform to build on’
“It’s a great foundation to grow from. I know I’m playing good golf, but I still made some mistakes off the tee. One last week on the 18th, one today on the 13th. Book, I took one off at number 16.” Similarly, it cost me very little.
“There are some little things to work on, but these last few weeks have been great and we can learn a lot from them. Then it would be great to be able to compete and come out on top.”
What’s next?
The DP World Tour will be in the Middle East for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, where Daniel Gavins will return as defending champion. Live coverage will begin on Sky Sports Golf from 8am on Thursday.
Rory McIlroy will next compete on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from February 1-4. Live broadcast on Sky Sports. Stream golf and other top sports now.
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