The American would card a two-over 74 alongside McIlroy to complete third, two behind, as Meronk and McIlroy duelled over the closing holes.
The Pole would bogey the sixteenth, nonetheless, and whereas he would birdie then final to get inside one in every of McIlroy with a 71, the Co Down man closed with 5 pars to clinch his seventeenth DP World Tour win.
“The pivotal level for me got here on the eighth and ninth gap,” McIlroy mentioned. “Making two threes there, that form of set me as much as attempt to management it on the best way in.
“I made that one blunder on 13, and made bogey there however felt like I steadied the ship properly over the previous few holes, and yeah, it was a type of days the place there wasn’t a ton of fireworks simply because the course was so tough however I held on as greatest as I might and fortunately nobody across the high of the leaderboard made a lot of a run.”
McIlroy was thrilled to retain his title and are available from ten pictures behind at midway to win.
“I assumed the best way the golf course was trending, I assumed two 67s would actually have an opportunity,” he mentioned. “You understand, clearly the 63 yesterday put me in an important place.
“However yeah, I assumed on Friday evening, I assumed 10-under for the weekend, I might have a very good likelihood to win.
“I shot 11, and ended up profitable by one. Performed the sport lengthy sufficient to form of know the way these items are going to go.
“Fortunately I performed the golf I wanted to and simply unbelievable to get my fourth win right here on the Emirates.”
As for his composed ultimate spherical, he added: “I assumed simply regular the ship. I did not birdie 10, and I did not even par 13. These are the 2 birdie holes on the beginning of the 9.
“So I simply thought I might regular the ship. I felt like if I might make par on 14, 15 and 16, I wasn’t going to lose a lot floor then, after which clearly I had two probabilities on the final two holes.
“Ended up, did not have to birdie one in every of them. However my recreation plan was for these final 5, get by these first three in even pars after which take my probabilities on the final gap.”
His aim this 12 months is to finish his nine-year main drought and completed tied second and first in his first two units is a perfect begin to the season.
“I’s an important begin to the season,” he mentioned. “I began properly final 12 months with the win right here. That was a little bit extra in dramatic on the final inexperienced in comparison with that there.
“It is an important platform to construct from. I do know I am taking part in good golf. There’s nonetheless a few misses off the tee left.
“One obtained me on 18 final week. I missed a tee shot left on 13 as we speak which form of value me a shot, after which one on 16, as properly, which almost value me a shot and made a great par there.
“A pair little issues nonetheless to work on however these weeks are nice. You be taught a ton from them, and clearly nice to get the competitors and are available out on high as properly.”
Tom McKibbin tied for 14th on six-under after a closing 70.
