OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

RORY McILROY'S NINE-UNDER 63 PUTS 

HIM TWO SHOTS CLEAR 

       Rory McIlroy ... an eagle and seven birdies. Today's picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

 

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Rory McIlroy did what he does best to produce a flawless first round of nine under par 63 to establish a two-shot lead after round one of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. 

Chief among the Northern Irishman’s incredible array of golfing gifts is his ability to make the game look easy, and through a combination superb driving and accurate iron play the 23 year old carded an eagle, seven birdies and ten pars to stroll into a two shot lead from Edoardo Molinari of Italy.

McIlroy, playing alongside World Number One Tiger Woods, who carded a four under 68, and defending champion Stephen Gallacher, who posted a 66 to share third place, is an absolute joy to watch at his devastating best, and the man himself admitted he is close to capturing his finest form. 

“That’s definitely the lowest round I've shot in a while and the way I controlled my ball and the way I played, it's definitely up there with the best in a while,” said McIlroy.

“It may feel easy and these scores may, you know, look somewhat routine out there, but there's a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to actually be able to go out ask shoot scores like this.” 

Woods, champion at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2006 and 2008, was relatively pleased with his opening score, especially after his out-of-character missed cut at last week’s PGA Tour event in California.

“I felt like it was a good day,” said the American. “I could have got a couple more out of it, just by making a couple putts from about ten feet or so but I hit a lot of good putts which was nice.  Last week I didn't do it and it was nice to actually play well again.”

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

 Par 72

63 R McIlroy  (NIr)

65 E Molinari  (Ita)

66 R Sterne  (RSA), J Quesne  (Fra); D McGrane (Irl); M Baldwin (Eng); S Gallacher (Sco);

67 S Hansen (Den); R Rock (Eng);

68 H Otto (RSA); T Jaidee (Tha); T Woods (USA); R Wattel  (Fra); J Campillo (Esp); S Kjeldsen (Den); P Lawrie (Sco)

69 A Quiros  (Esp); M Crespi  (Ita); D Horsey (Eng); S Hend (Aus); S Noh (SKor); B Rumford (Aus); M Carlsson  (Swe); F Molinari (Ita); T Fleetwood  (Eng); R Jacquelin (Fra); S Dyson  (Eng); A Levy (Fra); R Kakko  (Fin); M Ilonen  (Fin); D Fichardt (RSA); J Walters (RSA); B Koepka  (USA); J Donaldson (Wal)

70 M O'Meara (USA); C Del Moral (Esp); H Stenson (Swe); F Couples (USA); J Luiten (Ned); S Lowry  (Irl); G Havret  (Fra); P Casey  (Eng); L Slattery (Eng); C Montgomerie  (Sco); S Kim (Kor); B Wiesberger  (Aut); P Waring  (Eng); D Drysdale (Sco); E De La Riva  (Esp); J Daly (USA); M Hoey  (NIr)

71 K Broberg (Swe); D Willett  (Eng); G Bourdy (Fra); T Lewis (Eng); J Van Zyl (RSA); R Fisher (Eng); R Cabrera-Bello (Esp); E Grillo (Arg); Z Scotland  (Eng); G Maybin (Nir); M Kieffer (Ger); M Madsen  (Den); C Doak (Sco); J Lima  (Por); S Webster (Eng); E Pepperell (Eng); T Olesen (Den)

72 R Gonzalez (Arg); M Foster (Eng); A Otaegui  (Esp); M Warren (Sco); F Zanotti (Par); M Siem  (Ger); B Grace  (RSA); S Benson (Eng); R Santos  (Por); T Björn (Den); J McLeary  (Sco); D Van Der Walt (RSA); S Kapur (Ind); P Hanson (Swe)

73 D Howell (Eng); D Huizing (Ned); J Carlsson (Swe); C Lee (Sco); N Fasth (Swe); T Hatton (Eng); G Mulroy (RSA); C Wood  (Eng); S Jamieson  (Sco); J Kruger (RSA); R Karlsson (Swe); M El Maouas (am) (Mar)

74 E Els (RSA); N Elvira  (Esp); R Dinwiddie  (Eng); A Cañizares  (Esp); G Storm  (Eng); P Larrazábal (Esp); J Olazábal (Esp); M Nixon (Eng); J Hansen  (Den); A Wall (Eng); R Green (Aus); R Derksen (Ned); T Levet (Fra); G Stal  (Fra); A Sullivan (Eng); J Ballesteros (am) (Esp);

75 J Parry (Eng); S Thornton (Irl); V Riu  (Fra); J Singh (Ind); F Calmels  (Fra); S Dodd (Wal); L Corfield  (Eng); M Jiménez (Esp); P Uihlein  (USA)

76 R Bland (Eng); P Lawrie (Irl); P Whiteford (Sco); J Coceres (Arg); M Manassero (Ita)

77 D McKenzie (Sco); J Jeong (SKor); W Westner (RSA); A Pavan (Ita); G Bhullar (Ind); M Fraser (Aus)

78 F Serghini  (Mar)

79 B Lane (Eng)

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS