McIlroy on track for his title defence

GOLF DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC: THE TERM horses for courses is often referred to in golf and if that's the case then Rory McIlroy has surely found a more than desirable track at the Emirates Golf Club for the defending champion of the €1.7 million Dubai Desert Classic grabbed a share of the lead after yesterday's opening round.

The world number nine carded an opening four-under-par 68 in difficult blustery conditions to take his place at the top of a congested leaderboard where six players share the lead.

McIlroy was joined by Sweden’s Alexander Noren, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and Stephen Dodd from Wales.

And in a truly international field Denmark’s Anders Hansen, a fatigued Paul Casey from England, Spain’s Alvaro Quiros, Italian amateur Matteo Manassero and former champion Richard Green from Australia formed the chasing pack on three under.

Visibility was considerably reduced because of sand whipping across the Majlis course but it didn’t deter McIlroy, whose patience ultimately paid dividends after he made a somewhat fortunate start. The 20-year-old bogeyed the par four second after hitting his second shot onto the adjoining course. But he recovered immediately with a “lucky birdie” at the par-five next. “I hit my drive into the left rough and then hacked out a five-wood into the right rough and hit a wedge to about 35-feet and then if the ball didn’t hit the hole it was going to be another wedge,” quipped McIlroy.

“I was lucky to hit even the side of the hole as it was going to go way past . . . it jumped about a foot in the air and went in. I was pretty fortunate and from there on I just played pretty solid golf.”

He eventually reached the turn in level par before his round ignited on the inward half with birdies at the 10th and 12th before satisfyingly closing out the round with further birdies at 17 and 18 to come home in 33.

With the putter working well he rolled in a 25-footer at 17 after scrambling from a greenside bunker and ensured his share of the lead with another birdie from eight feet at the last.

“It was very important to start my defence with a good score, I would have taken anything under 70 looking at the scoring and conditions,” added McIlroy, whose only tour title to date came at this desert venue 12 months ago when he fended off a late challenge from Justin Rose.

“To shoot 68 was very pleasing. When defending it’s nice to get off to a nice start, but there’s still a lot of golf to play.

“It was very tricky. It was windy, sandy and dusty and I did get off to a rough start. I knew the front nine was playing a lot tougher than the back nine so I knew if I kept it around level par I was going okay and then I could hopefully take advantage of the par fives on the back nine.”

Darren Clarke was next best of the nine-strong Irish contingent on one under, while fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell was a shot further back after a 72, the same mark as European number one Lee Westwood. Damien McGrane and Gareth Maybin both shot one-over 73s, the same score as veteran American Tom Watson, Michael Hoey and Irish Open champion Shane Lowry struggled with the conditions to card 75s.

Matters were even worse for Peter Lawrie (77) but not as bad as Stephen Deane, the Co Down native who is a teaching pro at the Emirates, for he was last of the 132 field after an 82.

Last week’s Qatar Masters champion Robert Karlsson heads a group of seven on two under with Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and Abu Dhabi winner Martin Kaymer among those on one under.