It wasn’t the start Rory McIlroy was looking for at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday.
The par-five 10th hole, like most par fives, has birdie written all over it for McIlroy, who is now the world’s No. 2 behind Jordan Spieth.
An errant drive started it. McIlroy was forced to his a layup then followed that shot with a dreadful wedge effort that found the greenside bunker. He also short-sided himself.
McIlroy got too cute with his bunker shot and it came back to his feet. Barely got the next one out and was staring at a 10-footer from the fringe for bogey. Made it, avoided the dreaded double.
It got better from there and he’d go on to shoot a four-under par 68 that left him two back of leader Alex Noren at the Dubai Desert Classic.
“I didn’t feel like I could have really gone any lower than that but at the same time, I gave myself enough chances to make some birdies,” he said after his round. “To be able to shoot something at least in the 60s today was very pleasing.”
It was Noren who finished runnerup to McIlroy here last year. He shot 19-under par and lost by three and his 66 left him feeling good about his day. “I’m very happy. I didn’t expect it and then it feels even better,” he said.
Former European No. 1 Peter Hanson was one of four players at five-under par.
Henrik Stenson, playing with McIlroy, opened with 69 while U.S. Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau continues his Masters preparation and opened with a two-under par 70, good enough to put him tied for 29th.
