An unbelievable start to 2024 on the DP World Tour
2018 The Open champion Francesco Molinari showed early on that low scores were possible at Dubai Creek as he birdied the first four holes. The greens rolled 12 on the stilt metre for day four. Tommy Fleetwood played in the final group with Rory McIlroy and the Englishman took a one-shot lead into the final round. Conditions for day four were breezy with a 12 mile an hour wind. Both Fleetwood and McIlroy started with pars at the first and second hole.
2023 Europe Ryder Cup stars set up good birdie opportunities at the third hole after two fantastic bunker shots. Fleetwood had company on 15 under as McIlroy rolled in his birdie putt at the third hole. Fleetwood answered with a birdie of his own at the third hole to take the lead on 16 under. McIlroy missed the fairway at 569 yard par five fourth hole and was unsuccessful in finding the fairway with his layup. McIlroy played an extraordinary long bunker shot but had to settle for par after missing his birdie effort.
Fleetwood’s second shot at the par five fourth came up short and missed an opportunity to extend his lead. The fifth hole at Dubai Creek played difficult with only five birdies made on day four due to a extremely difficult pin. Both McIlroy and Fleetwood hit exceptional tee shots at the fifth hole and had opportunities to bounce back after not taking advantage of the fourth. McIlroy showed yet again why he was the best putter on DP World Tour in 2023 as he rolled in his birdie putt to reach 16 under. Fleetwood went back into the lead after rolling in a short-range birdie putt at the fifth hole.
McIlroy made a massive error as he hit his four iron off the tee into the water at the sixth hole. McIlroy dropped a shot at the sixth hole and Fleetwood extended his lead to two shots. Fleetwood failed to capitalise on a great second shot as he missed his birdie putt at the seventh hole. On the same hole McIlroy missed the fairway but played a sensational chip shot to avoid dropping two shots in a row. Both McIlroy and Fleetwood achieved a par at the difficult 228 yard par three eight hole. The four-time major winner played an excellent shot from 133 yards at the ninth hole but missed the putt to shoot a one under front nine. Fleetwood also had a par at the ninth to shoot a front nine of two under.
South Africans Twiston Lawrence and Zander Lombard played together for a second consecutive day in a row. Lombard made his first birdie of the round at the third hole. Lombard continued to impress by making birdies at both the fourth and fifth hole. Lombard made four birdies in a row at the sixth hole before chipping in to reach five under after seven holes. Lombard duffed his chip shot which resulted in a bogey at the ninth to shoot a front nine of 31. Lawrence got off to a great start with three birdies in six holes and made two fantastic par putts at both the eight & ninth hole to shoot a front nine of 32.
England’s Jordan Smith and Thorbjorn Olesen played together on day four. Smith made a birdie at the fourth but finished the front nine with a bogey to shoot 35. Olesen struggled on the front nine as he dropped a couple of shots to turn in over par. McIlroy missed the fairway at the par five 10th and missed the green to the left whereas Fleetwood came up short in the bunker. Fleetwood stitched his bunker shot and tapped in a birdie putt to reach 18 under. The Northern Irishman’s chip shot missed the green but managed to escape the 10th with a par.
McIlroy took advantage of his length as he hit a huge drive at the 11th then followed it up with a great wedge shot and made his first birdie of the back nine. McIlroy got a pep in his step as he also achieved a birdie at the par four 12th to close the gap on Fleetwood to one shot. Fleetwood went for the green with his second shot at the par five 13th which came to rest in a greenside bunker. McIlroy had 232 yards for his second at the par five but laid up and played a sensational wedge shot from 75 yards. Fleetwood was conservative with his bunker shot and only achieved a par at the 13th whereas McIlroy rolled in his birdie putt to tie the lead on 18 under.
Lombard came back into the tournament with his second chip in at the 11th to reach 16 under but his challenge came to an end as he had a double bogey at the 14th hole. Lombard’s playing partner Lawrence started the back nine with two birdies in three holes. Lawrence was unsuccessful with his birdie effort at the 13th but held a great long-range putt at the 14th to reach 17 under. It looked like McIlroy was going to make four birdies in a row as he hit his tee shot to three foot at the 14th hole. McIlroy had a moment of madness as he three putted from three feet which resulted in a bogey.
McIlroy put the three putt behind him immediately as he rolled in a longer birdie putt at the 15th to return to 18 under. McIlroy hit an remarkable tee shot at the 16th but was unsuccessful with his birdie effort. Fleetwood’s tee shot at the 16th took a big bounce off the green and failed to get up and down for par. Lawrence reached 18 under after a birdie at the 17th hole and shot a final round of 64. McIlroy hit an extraordinary second shot from 109 yards at the 17th and held the putt to reach 19 under. On the same hole Fleetwood returned to 18 under after holing a long-range birdie putt.
McIlroy only hit three fairways on day four and put his tee shot into the water at the 18th hole. Fleetwood found the fairway at the 18th and played a fantastic second shot to set up a winning birdie putt. The best that McIlroy could manage at the 18th was a bogey to finish on 18 under and in a tie for second with Lawrence. Fleetwood held his birdie putt and won the Dubai Invitational on 19 under. A fantastic start to the year and Fleetwood lays down a marker by getting the better of McIlroy.
Smith made an eagle and three birdies on the back nine to finish fourth on 16 under. Molinari finished with three birdies in a row to finish fifth on 15under. Lombard finished in a tie for sixth on 14 under with American Sean Crocker. Olesen finished in a tie for eight on 12 under with Germany’s Yannik Paul. Poland’s Adrian Meronk makes up the top 10 on 11 under. Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin finished in a tie for 25th on five under.