It seemed that this year could break the relentless streak of Rory McIlroy (-12) on this course, the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club, and in this tournament, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, where he had managed to finish within the top ten in his last ten appearances, with three victories included, and this year he was also defending the title. It seemed so, but it no longer seems so.
A 63 from the Northern Irishman on the moving day not only has put him squarely in the top ten, but it places him in the fight for victory by all rights, as the leader, Cameron Young (-14), has fallen somewhat short with a round of 71. Rory, by the way, sealed such a record with an eagle on the 18th of anthology, after sinking a 14-meter putt with a diabolical drop and a good stretch of transit through the collar. On Thursday and Friday, doing many things well (five birdies each day, for example), he suffered periods of real disconnection sprinkled with bogeys that had left him far behind, but today his performance has been impeccable. And there is the undisputed King of the Desert, again.
What a collection of shots from the Holywood man through the first nine of the Dubai course. On the 1st. On the 7th. On the 8th. On the 9th. Given birdies or about to be caramel. Scandalous. So he passed the most complicated stretch, that first half, with a partial of five less that announced something big. Then, what things, he could not maintain such a level of excellence, but he did his duties on the par 5s, finishing with the aforementioned eagle.
Rory had gone out to play today with Joaquín Niemann two and a half hours before the stellar match, so he could not yet get an exact idea of how the day would end. Just after signing the card he declared: “Anything that is three, four or even five strokes from the leader will still give me a chance”. Well, it’s only two and Rory will also march in the stellar match alongside Young. What a duel. It would be funny if the American won a tournament on the European circuit at the first attempt, when he has not yet made his debut on the PGA Tour, where he adds and adds second places. Anyway, the strange thing in any case is that, that this splendid player has not yet won on a major circuit. Just when the field was roaring with Rory’s final eagle he was going through the worst moment of the week on hole 7, where he dropped a double bogey, so he deserves all the credit, because he knew how to recover, arm himself with patience and go putting the round in line to finish playing under par and maintain the lead.
The third in discord in the fight for victory is Adrian Meronk (-12), who today has delivered a 70. Everyone has suffered today the action of the wind, somewhat stronger and colder than the rest of the days (everyone except Rory, of course). Among these three men must be the winner, although we must also watch out for the Haotong Li (-9), Rasmus Hojgaard (-9) or Joaquín Niemann (-8).
