Rory McIlroy leads the Dubai Desert Classic
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland has taken a first round lead with seven under par 65 in the Dubai Desert Classic. Five back to back birdies helped McIlroy to take the early lead at the $2.5 million event. He teed-off early in the morning and scored eight
birdies in total on the first day.
The 21-year-old feels the course at the Emirates Golf Club is a second home, “It's a special feeling whenever I come back here," said Mc Ilroy, "This is the one professional tournament I've played more than any other and it feels like home away from home.
I just feel very comfortable playing here. Like Martin Kaymer says he feels like Abu Dhabi is his home course, I regard this place in the same kind of way." Mc Ilroy has the opportunity to jump to fourth place in the world ranking if he ends up winning the
event. Currently, he holds the seventh position.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia also appears to be at the top of his game after suffering a devastating couple of years which tormented his game. He is second on the leader board tied with Thomas Aiken of South Africa, trailing by two shots and posting a total of
five under 67. According to critics, Garcia is in the form to win events. The former world number two, Garcia, finished the Qatar Masters inside the top ten last week.
This is the first time in 16 years a Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) European Tour has had the top three players in the world golf rankings in the same event. Moreover, the organizers put Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Tiger Woods in the same group.
Westwood and Kaymer finished inside the top ten in difficult windy conditions and both finished with 69. Westwood was satisfied with his performance and said that he enjoyed with playing against great golfers. The competition helped bring out the best in his
game.
World number two, Martin Kaymer, also commented on playing with Tiger Woods, “It was nice, I enjoyed it, I always wanted to play with him and obviously here in Dubai it's exciting to have the top three in the rankings together. Of course you're little bit
more nervous the first two, three holes than normally on Thursday, but I was just trying to play my game. I played ok, I had a good solid first round and that was all I wanted to do."
Tiger Woods played inconsistently throughout the day. He scored three bogeys and also a double bogey and then scored four birdies and an eagle on the final hole. Woods was hoping to have a better result on the next day.
With the pressure building for Tiger to pick up his game and the added competition of going head to head with the top two golfers in the world, the Dubai Desert Classic just might be the event fans that’s marks Tigers comeback.
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