Scottish golfer shines in 'fun' first outing with Rory McIlroy
Calum Hill finds world No 3 ‘easy to play with’ after climbing into contention in Hero Dubai Desert Classic
It’s a nervy affair playing alongside Rory McIlroy for the first time and, even though he has more than 100 DP World Tour appearances under his belt, it was no different for Calum Hill.
“I was pretty excited being out with him for the first time in a big event,” admitted the 30-year-old Scot of finding out that he was in the same group as the world No 3 for the third round of the $9 million Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club.
Compatriot Connor Syme, who’d previously played with McIlroy, made up the three-ball after a total of 79 players had made the cut in the first Rolex Series event of 2025, and it was a pleasing day for Hill in tricky conditions on the Majlis Course.
With seven birdies on the card, he signed for a five-under-par 67, two shots better than hat-trick seeking McIlroy, to move to eight-under-par and, along with another Scot, Ewen Ferguson - Bob MacIntyre, too, maybe - Hill is right in the mix heading into the closing circuit in the UAE.
After a birdie-birdie finish to sit on 13 under, Kiwi Daniel Hillier leads by one from Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, with two shots further back in third and another Kiwi, Ryan Fox, alongside Hatton’s compatriot, Laurie Canter, in a share of fifth spot. Hill is then in a group that also includes LIV Golf-linked Tom McKibbin.
“It was my first time playing with Rory and he’s a really nice guy,” said Hill, almost sounding surprised by that but probably not meaning to do so. “He was very easy to play with, he’s quick and was very sociable - it was good fun.
“I knew it was going to be a lot of fun with all the crowds as it makes you feel as though you are in the mix. I enjoyed it a lot. I think it helped having Connor in the group as well and, though he had a tough day, unfortunately, he still showed he is a class act.”
After they’d holed out at the last, it was noticeable that McIlroy, a four-time winner of this event, seemed to make a point of letting Hill know that he’d been impressed with his day’s work and that had, indeed, been the case.
“He just said ‘well done, good luck tomorrow and play well’. It was nice meeting him and he is a very pleasant person,” said Hill. “It’s not necessarily inspiration when you are playing with someone like Rory. But Connor and I both said it was interesting to see some of the lines he was taking out there.
“I don’t watch him on the range and that is the first time I’ve really seen him hit balls up close - and it is a lot higher than I hit my golf ball (smiling). He hit a really good drive on 17. It was a back-left flag, but it went through the green and he must have had a five-yard chip. That’s an extra 25 yards that I don’t have.
“I kept up with him a couple of times, but the carry is such a difference and I need the roll to get anywhere near. He’s got a few different options than us mere mortals!”
In his first outing as a free agent after deciding not to extend his contract with Ping, Hill is on course for his best finish in a Rolex Series event. “It was very good,” he said of his day’s work. “Played really nice pretty much all day and made some putts, so really happy.”
Understandably so as the effort saw him jump nearly 30 spots after following a first-day 67 with a 74. “Yesterday I had no momentum but today I felt good and had some momentum and I hit it significantly better than yesterday and hopefully it will be the same tomorrow,” added Hill.
Missing out on the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in November was a huge disappointment for the Crook of Devon-based player, but, on the evidence here so far, this is more like the golf he is capable of producing.
“I’ve been putting strong so far this week and I think the stats will show that,” he said, having opted for a L.a.b. Link 1 model after testing “about ten” putters once he was able to use something other than a Ping one when he was contracted to do so.
“It ain’t going anywhere soon,” he declared with a big smile. “It’s the blade version. Using this one is something I feel is really natural. It feels really good in my hands, I feel the start line is good and I also feel the pace is really good. Basically, unless I misread it, it has a good chance.”
MacIntyre, who got up and down to save par at the last after getting wet with his second shot - it was straight at the flag but came up agonisingly short - sits alongside McIlroy on six under after signing for a 70, with Richie Ramsay (73) on two under, Syme slipping to one over after his 76 and Grant Forrest on three over following the same score.
Hatton, a four-time Rolex Series winner, was reprimanded at the end of his round after smashing a tee box in the par-3 seventh hole. “Just a bit of frustration,” he said. Yes, probably shouldn't have done it. Does it make me a bad person? No. It's just a spur of the moment thing, and it happened. I can't go back and change it. So move on.”
McIlroy, who is bidding to become the first player since Ernie Els achieved the feat 21 years ago to win the same event three years in a row, isn’t out of it after coming home in 33. “”Depends on what the conditions are tomorrow,” he said, “but I think the winning score will be 15 under, so I'd need to go out and shoot 63. My key tomorrow is if I can get off to a faster start and shoot three or four on the front, then I have a chance.”
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