Day 1 review Dubai Desert Classic
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman, Dubai Invitational champion Tommy Fleetwood and 2022 PGA Tour Rookie Of The Year Cameron Young all teed it up for 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The greens were firm and ran 13 on the stint metre. Majlis is a par 72 with a front nine of 35 and a back nine of 37. The ninth proved to be an extremely difficult par four as only seven birdies were made. The 181 yard 15th hole was the toughest par three on day one.
The big three ball in the morning action was five time Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy, 2013 The Masters Champion Adam Scott and 2023 DP World Tour Championship winner Nicolai Hojgaard. Also playing early was 2023 DP World Tour Player Of The Year Adrian Meronk, Royal Liverpool winner Harman and Daniel Bradbury.
McIlroy started at the 10th hole and opened up with a birdie after getting up & down from a greenside bunker. McIlroy took advantage of par five 13th before reaching three under after seven holes. McIlroy had to settle for par at the short par four 17th after been unsuccessful with his birdie effort. The four-time major winner two putted the 18th hole for birdie and shot a front nine of 33.
McIlroy missed the fairway at his 10th hole which resulted in a bogey after missing a short-range par putt. McIlroy bounced back immediately as he found the green in one shot at 357 yard par four second hole and a birdie was good enough to return to four under. McIlroy failed to take advantage of the 601 yard par five third hole and made his second bogey at the sixth hole. McIlroy also dropped shots at both the seventh and eight hole before achieving a par at the ninth. McIlroy finished on one under and shot an opening round of 71.
Meronk advanced to four under after holing two excellent birdie putts at the 17th and 18th hole. Meronk started his back nine with a birdie to reach five under but failed to take advantage of the short par four second and par five third. Meronk hit an extraordinary shot and rolled in a birdie putt to return to five under at the sixth hole. Meronk finished on four under and shot a round of 68.
Hojgaard started with four pars before making his first birdie at the 14th hole. The Danish star finished his front nine with two birdies at the 17th and 18th hole. Hojgaard reached four under after a fantastic birdie at the par four sixth hole. Hojgaard finished on four under and shot a opening round of 68.
Scott made two early birdies after hitting sensational iron shots at both the 10th and 13th hole. The Australian made his first bogey of the round at the par four second hole. Scott rolled in a birdie putt to return to three under at the par three seventh hole. Scott achieved pars at both the eight and ninth hole to shoot an opening round of 69.
Harman got off to a great start as he was two under after four holes. The Open Champion made his first bogey of the round at the 15th hole but bounced back immediately with a birdie at the 16th. Harman reached four under after 12 holes. The American dropped three shots in the last four holes to finish on one under.
After the morning action Haotong Li was leading on five under. Li won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2018. Li is in a great position after day one. It’s a great chance for Li to make a lot of world ranking points with it been a Rolex event.
The big afternoon groups were Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Thorbjorn Olesen and Fleetwood, Young, 2023 BMW PGA Championship winner Ryan Fox. Fleetwood managed to shoot a front nine of two under due to two sensational iron shots at both the sixth and ninth hole. Fox got off to an extremely poor start as he was three over after five holes. Hatton struggled to impress as he was three over after six holes.
Olesen held two great birdie putts at both the fifth and seventh hole to shoot a front nine of two under. Young returned to even par after a birdie at the seventh hole but finished the front nine with a bogey. Hojgaard’s highlight of his front nine was a glorious iron shot at the seventh hole. Hojgaard shot a front nine of two under. Hatton started to put together a comeback as he made a birdie at the extremely difficult ninth hole.
Fox held a unbelievable shot from off the green for par at the eight hole. Fox shot a front nine of two over. Hatton returned to even par after birdies at both the 10th and 11th hole. Both Hojgaard and Olesen hit extraordinary second shots and eagled the par five 10th to reach four under. Fleetwood reached three under after an up and down at the par five 13th hole.
Fleetwood missed great birdie opportunities at the 14th, 17th and 18th hole to finish his opening round on three under. Hojgaard returned to four under after holing a shot from off the green at the 13th hole. Olesen failed to take advantage of par five 13th and short par four 17th as he had to settle for pars on both holes. Hatton’s comeback came to an end as he missed two par putts at both the 12th and 15th hole. Fox made a massive error which resulted in a double bogey at the 14th hole.
Hojgaard birdied both the 17th and 18th hole to finish on five under. Young played the last three holes in five under to shoot a round of 67. Olesen had 215 yards for his second shot at the 18th but finished the hole with a bogey after visiting the water. Olesen finished on four under and shot an opening round of 68.
Hatton put his second shot at the 18th in the water but showed resilience to get up & down for par to shoot two over. Fox finished with a birdie to shoot three over. Andy Sullivan played in 2016 Ryder Cup and was back to his best as he shot a round of 67. Sullivan had a bogey free round which included an excellent par putt at the sixth hole.
Denmark’s Sorne Kjeldsen shot a opening round of 68. Grant Forrest held a chip shot for birdie at the 15th and is currently on four under. Both Scott Jamieson and Richie Ramsay shot an opening round of 69. 2025 Europe Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald impressed with an opening round of one under. Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin started with an opening round of level par and Padraig Harrington shot 73.