Rory McIlroy Faces Uphill Task in Bid for Third Consecutive Dubai Desert Classic Title

Rory McIlroy falls nine shots behind leader Ewen Ferguson at the Dubai Desert Classic, but remains optimistic about his chances, citing the need for accurate driving and approach play to contend.

Rory McIlroy faces an uphill task in his bid to win a third consecutive Dubai Desert Classic title after falling nine shots behind halfway leader Ewen Ferguson. McIlroy, the world number three, carded a one-under-par second round of 71, mixing three birdies with two bogeys to sit on three-under for the tournament. This is McIlroy's first event since winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last November.

McIlroy expressed frustration with his performance, citing tricky conditions as a factor. “A little frustrated. But I thought the conditions were a little tricky,” he said. Despite his frustration, McIlroy remains optimistic about his chances and is focusing on making a strong start to the third round. “Get out there early tomorrow and try to post a score and get myself up the leaderboard and give myself a chance for Sunday,” he added.

McIlroy's second round was marked by a mix of promising moments and missed opportunities. After bogeying the first hole, he bounced back with a birdie on the second, but failed to capitalize on several chances throughout the round. A notable miss came on the short par-four 17th, where a five-foot birdie putt slid by. However, McIlroy ended the round on a positive note, making a birdie on the final green. Looking ahead to the remainder of the tournament, McIlroy emphasized the importance of accurate driving and approach play. “The greens will continue to get a little bit firmer, and will put such a premium on putting it in the fairway and hitting a lot of greens,” he said.