Rory McIlroy off to another flying start to new season in UAE

Irishman opens with nine-under-par 62 in inaugural Dubai Invitational

Rory McIlroy tees off on the 11th hole at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club during the first round of the Dubai Invitational. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

Rory McIlroy had made a habit over the years of hitting the ground running in the United Arab Emirates at the start of a new calendar campaign and he’s done it again.

On this occasion, the Northern Irishman opened a new season in the Middle East with a brilliant bogey-free nine-under-par 62 in the inaugural $2.5 million Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek.

The eye-catching effort matched McIlroy’s lowest score on the DP World Tour in relation to par, having also signed for a nine-under 63 in the 2014 Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that,” admitted the 34-year-old, speaking to Sky Sports Golf, as he reflected on finding himself two shots clear of the field, with German Yannik Paul ending the day as his closest challenger while South African Thriston Lawrence sits one further back.

“It didn’t feel quite as good the first couple of days when I got here and was hitting balls and playing the course. But it was nice to get a card in the hand again and sort of feel the competitive juices flowing and it was a really comfortable group.”

That was reference to his professional playing partner in the opening circuit being KIwi Ryan Fox while the two amateurs were tournament host Abdullah Al Naboodah and Greg Mondre. In tandem with McIlroy, six-handicapper Al Naboodah shot a 58 to set a blistering pace in the team event.

“I really like playing with Ryan and the two ams we had - Abdullah and Greg - I know very well, so it was a really comfortable pairing and round of golf out there,” added McIlroy. “These pro-ams I either play with my dad or this week I’m playing with the tournament host, so there’s maybe added pressure in there as well to go out and perform (laughing).”

Starting at the tenth, five-time Race to Dubai winner McIlroy hit 16 greens in regulation and holed 13 putts inside 10 feet. “Yeah, surprised myself a little bit but hopefully more of the same over the next few days,” said McIlroy, who is defending the title in next week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic before starting his 2024 campaign on the PGA Tour in the countdown to The Masters in April.

“But it’s an easy way to sort of get back into things. This is a nice week to do some extra practice and put some work in so I feel a bit more ready, not just for next week, which is obviously a bigger event, but also going into the bulk of the season.”

Paul, who just missed out on being one of McIlroy’s team-mates in last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, signed for eight birdies while Lawrence, the BMW International Open champion, mixed seven birdies with one bogey.

Helped by picking up two birdies in the last three holes, Dubai-based Tommy Fleetwood signed for a 65, which was a commendable effort given he’d been in Hawaii last week for the PGA Tour’s season-opening event, The Sentry.

Ewen Ferguson, another player who is sleeping in his own bed this week, fared best of the Scots with a 69, with Calum Hill having to settle for a 71 after dropping four shots in his last four holes.

In an event featuring just 60 professionals and with no cut in place, Richie Ramsay recovered from being three over at the turn to sign for a 72 while Grant Forrest and Connor Syme signed for 73 and 74 respectively.