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Dubai Desert Classic, round one
-7 F Molinari (Ita); -5 M Lindberg (Swe); -4 J Girrbach (Swi), JC Ritchie (SA); -3 Y Katsuragawa (Jap), W Ding (Chi), M Elvira (Spa), A Pavan (Ita), J Veerman (USA), N Von Dellingshausen (Ger), P Reed (US); -2 S Jamieson (Sco), G Forrest (Sco), O Lindell (Fin), T Hatton (Eng), S Lowry (Ire), C Maas (AM) (SA), E Ferguson (Sco), D Micheluzzi (Aus), T Olesen (Den), D Hillier (NZ), E Pepperell (Eng), J Campillo (Spa)
Selected others: -1 T McKibbin (NI); +1 R McIlroy (NI), T Fleetwood (Eng), V Hovland (Nor); +2 D Johnson (US)
Rory McIlroy lies eight shots behind leader Francesco Molinari after carding a disappointing first round of one-over-par 73 at the Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday.
The world number two’s round at the Emirates Golf Club was marred by a double-bogey seven at the 18th hole, his ninth.
McIlroy appeared to have taken the water out of the equation by laying up from the rough, but from less than 100 yards he attacked the flag, his ball pitching short and falling back into the water.
Having started his opening round with a birdie at the 10th and then a dropped shot at the 15th, his indiscretion at the 18th left him two over at the turn.
The Masters champion went on to pick up shots at the par-five third and the sixth to move back to level par but a wayward tee shot at the short seventh saw him drop another stroke.
He subsequently failed to capitalise on a birdie opportunity at the ninth, unable to hole a putt from six feet.
The Northern Ireland golfer is a record four-time winner of the event, with his last success having come in 2024.
Molinari makes his mark
Getty ImagesItalian Molinari meanwhile put together a remarkable run of seven birdies in eight holes between the seventh and the 14th on his way to firing a seven-under 65.
The 2018 Open champion, now ranked 418th in the world rankings, posted one further birdie in his round, with a solitary bogey at the 12th the only blemish on his scorecard, to lead by two from Swede Mikael Lindberg.
It was 43-year-old Molinari’s lowest round on the DP World Tour since January 2024.
“It’s been a long time. I’ve changed everything and then I’ve changed back,” said the 2018 Ryder Cup winner, who has not won a professional title since the Arnold Palmer Invitational seven years ago.
“Not super unexpected but I wasn’t expecting a score like that. Last week I felt very rusty, so I was hoping it would be very good prep for this week.”
Lindberg’s opening 67 included an eagle three at the third.
Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach and South African JC Ritchie are one shot further back, with last week’s Dubai Invitational winner, Manuel Elvira, among a group of players tied for fifth on three under, which also includes American Patrick Reed.
Having his first competitive outing of the year, defending champion, England’s Tyrrell Hatton, is one of seven players on two under, along with Ireland’s Shane Lowry.
Lowry recorded five birdies and three bogeys as he began his bid to bounce back from an agonising conclusion to last week’s tournament at Dubai Creek Resort.
A double-bogey at the last cost him the opportunity to potentially win the title on that occasion.
Like his playing partner McIlroy, world number three Tommy Fleetwood has ground to make up after posting a 73.
