Defending champion Rory McIlroy was cruising on his opening 9, parading across the Majlis Course on the Emirates Golf Membership as if he owned the place.
Having began on the again 9, McIlroy carded 4 birdies, made zero bogeys, and made the flip at 4-under. He was in management and even held a share of the lead.
However then he rapidly dropped a shot on the par-4 1st gap, making a bogey after air-mailing the inexperienced. He caught a flier-lie out of the tough, as lacking the green proved expensive.
After which, in true McIlroy trend, he bounced again with a birdie on the par-4 2nd after driving the inexperienced.
That was his final birdie of the day, as his troubles started on the par-4 sixth.
McIlroy smashed a drive down the center of the green, then hit his second shot safely on the inexperienced of the robust 484-yard par-4. He proceeded to three-putt from 35 toes, dropping him again to 3-under.
At the least his three-whack was not from two toes, which value him dearly ultimately week’s Dubai Invitational.
McIlroy’s brief recreation failed him once more on the subsequent gap, the par-3 seventh. After lacking his tee shot wanting the inexperienced, the Northern Irishman hit a poor chip, thus main to a different bogey.
He couldn’t get off the bogey prepare on the par-4 eighth, as one other awful chip led to a different dropped shot. Abruptly, McIlroy sat at 1-under, 4 photographs off the lead.
The Northern Irishman completed his spherical with a par on the difficult par-4 ninth, however he was fortunate to keep away from one other bogey. After hitting his tee shot into the bunker to the correct of the green, McIlroy hit his second shot to the correct of the inexperienced.
He confronted one other difficult chip shot, however this time, the four-time main winner knocked it to 4 toes and tapped it in for a one-under 71.
However, McIlroy may have his work minimize out to get again into competition.
“I believe it’s going to be robust the subsequent few days,” stated Nicholai Højgaard, McIlroy’s taking part in accomplice who carded a 4-under 68 Thursday.
“The greens nonetheless have a delicate aspect in sure locations, however the tough is up. It’s difficult. It will get a bit windy on the market, and with a number of doglegs, it’s robust to carry the fairways. It’s taking part in the way in which it ought to be.”
Cameron Younger, Haotong Li, Andy Sullivan, and Rasmus Højgaard lead at 5-under after spherical one. McIlroy, in the meantime, sits alongside Brian Harman, Luke Donald, and a slew of others at 1-under.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
