Rory McIlroy holds off Patrick Reed in Dubai as Calum Hill records best Rolex Series finish

This one was special for Rory McIlroy. Very special, in fact, and for a variety of reasons in a memorable Monday finish on the DP World Tour.

Rory McIlroy poses with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic trophy on the 18th green at Emirates Golf Club after landing a third title triumph in the DP World Tour event. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

A record-equalling third title triumph in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, having already landed that prize in 2009 and 2015, did nicely for starters.

This was also the first time that he’d made a winning start to a new calendar campaign on the circuit in the UAE, having never quite managed to get across the line in the past in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

It was also his first success in a Rolex Series event, the DP World Tour’s marquee tournaments that now carry $9 million prize funds.

Rory McIlroy celebrates after holing a 14-foot birdie putt on the last hole at Emirates Golf Club. Picture: Oisin Keniry/Getty Images.

Oh, and he held off Patrick Reed in a thrilling last-day title tussle over the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, where the pair had been at the centre of ‘TeeGate’.

“Did I want to win? Yes,” said McIlroy. “Was there added incentive because of who was up there? Absolutely. But I want to win for me. I want to win for my legacy and leaving my mark on the game. So it’s great that there’s an ancillary benefit to me winning instead of someone else.

“Mentally, it was very tough today. I felt like I could have let my emotions get in the way. I expended a lot of mental energy trying to focus on myself and focus on shooting a score and trying to reach a number.”

Twelve months ago, McIlroy found water with his second shot at the 18th in the final round to miss out on a play-off won by Norwegian Viktor Hovland. He admitted that had left him feeling he had some “unfinished business” on his return for the event’s 34th edition.

Calum Hill tees off at the iconic eighth hole at Emirates Golf Club during the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Picture: Karim Sahib/AFP via Getty Images.

In Sunday’s third round - the tournament was extended to Monday after play was delayed on both Thursday and Friday due to flooding - the four-time major winner came a cropper once again at that closing hole in almost identical fashion.

Revenge, though, proved sweet. Tied for the lead with Reed, who’d closed with a 65 to set the clubhouse target with an 18-under-par total, McIlroy birdied it on this occasion after laying up, holing from just over 14 feet to join Ernie Els as the only players to claim the iconic Dallah Trophy three times.

"It was a battle all day,” said McIlroy as he savoured a 15th DP World Tour win and a 36th global success as a professional. “Honestly it's been a battle all week. I really feel like I haven't had my best all week, but I just managed my game so well and played really smart.

"I feel like I showed a lot of mental strength out there today, something to really build on for the rest of the year. There's been a ton of positives this week but also some things that I need to learn from and I need to try to improve on.”

Instead of losing his world No 1 spot, McIlroy has solidified it through a combination of his opening salvo in 2022 and Jon Rahm being unable to add to his stunning recent run of success in the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour.

"I'm going to enjoy this,” he declared. “This is probably sweeter than it should be or needs to be, but I feel like I've still got some stuff to work on. It's a great start to the year and a really good foundation to work from."

Reed, one of the LIV Golf players in the field, also contributed to a great day’s golf, having turned up the heat on McIlroy, who’d started the day with a three-shot lead, by covering the opening 13 holes in seven-under. “We've had some amazing battles and this one was just as great,” said the American. “Unfortunately I was on the wrong end of this one.”

Australian Lucas Herbert, the 2020 winner, finished third on 16 under, a shot clear of England's Callum Shinkwin and two ahead of Frenchman Julien Brun. Belgian Thomas Pieters and England's Ian Poulter were next on 13 under, one ahead of a group that included Swede Henrik Stenson after his best-of-the-day 64.

It was also a pleasing week’s work for Calum Hill, who signed off with a 71 for an 11-under total and a share of 13th spot - his best finish in a Rolex Series event, an effort which came in just his second start since resuming a full schedule.

The 28-year-old only played three events in total in 2022 due to a nerve problem that stemmed from an insect bite, but, on this evidence, he’s quickly found his feet again.

“Yeah, I had fun,” said Hill of his week. “Ball-striking wasn’t quite as good today and missed a few putts and had a couple of three-putts. All in all, if I’d made a couple of more putts it would have been really good, but I can’t complain.

“It’s nice to have a decent week this week on the back of just missing out by one last week, so a good start. I’m looking forward to hopefully pushing on now and having a good year.”

He particularly enjoyed a birdie at the 17th in the closing circuit. “I was completely short-sided,” he said of pushing his tee shot a tad into the waste area. “But I hit the best 36-yard lob shot I’ve hit in my life to about two feet.”

Ewen Ferguson (69) also finished in the top 30 on eight-under, one ahead of both Connor Syme (71) and Bob MacIntyre (73), while Grant Forrest (70), David Law (74) and Scott Jamieson (71) ended up on six, five and three-under respectively.