Rory McIlroy birdied seven of his last 10 holes to open with a 66 in Dubai. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy missed a golden opportunity to earn some brownie points with his other half when he gave his caddie the credit for helping him birdie seven of the last 10 holes and open with a six under 66 in the Dubai Desert Classic.

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Rory McIlroy in full flight. Picture Stuart Adams www.golftourimages.comRory McIlroy admits he must resist the urge to play like Seve Ballesteros if he’s to continue his relentless rise in the world rankings.

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Padraig Harrington played his role in helping golf return to the Olympic Games. Picture courtesy randa.orgPadraig Harrington believes he’s doing Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell a favour by advising them to declare for Team Great Britain in the 2016 Olympics.

Clarifying the remarks he made in a TV interview to be broadcast on Setanta Ireland this weekend, the Dubliner reckons he’s giving the Northern Ireland pair the perfect “way out” of an emotive Britain v Ireland debate that could leave other Irish players “devastated” if they miss the boat to Rio de Janeiro.

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Rory McIlroy will have a decision to make on his Olympic Games future. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.iePadraig Harrington believes Rory McIlroy should tee it up for Great Britain when golf returns to the Olympic Games in 2016.

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Updated on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 15:52 by Brian Keogh

Winner Robert Rock with the trophy. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy regained the world No 2 ranking from Lee Westwood when he finished runner-up to surprise winner Robert Rock in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

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Rory McIlroy had plenty of problems with sand in the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Picture Stuart Adams www.golftourimages.comGareth Maybin is a stroke off the lead in the $2.5m Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship - just seven weeks after struggling to keep his card in his last tournament appearance.

But his bogey-free 36 holes was still overshadowed by a two-stroke penalty for Rory McIlroy and positive performances for Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and former world No 1 Tiger Woods.

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Rory McIlroy shows of his powerfully built forearms in Abu Dhabi. Picture by Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieIt seems like only yesterday that Rory McIlroy was watching Tiger Woods play in Dubai, dashing around the grounds of the Emirates Club with pal Harry Diamond like a couple of schoolboys after the final class of summer term.

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Rory McIlroy speaks to the media on the eve of the first round in Abu Dhabi. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieRory McIlroy will get a chance to see how his game stacks up against a fully fit Tiger Woods when he tees it up alongside the American and world No 1 Luke Donald in the first two rounds of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

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Tiger Woods is back on the prowl again - fitter, stronger and more determined that ever.

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Shot for the ages. Rory McIlroy hits to the 10th in the final round of the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club. Photo © Getty ImagesRory McIlroy’s sublime six iron to the tenth green during the final round of the US Open Championship has been voted by golf fans as The 2011 European Tour Shot of the Year.

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Conor Mallaghan (Carton House), Richard Hills (Ryder Cup Director, European Tour), Redmond O’Donoghue (Chairman, Failte Ireland), George O’Grady (Chief Executive, European Tour), Arlene Foster (Tourism Minister, Northern Ireland Executive) Darren Clarke and Philip Tweedie (Captain, Royal Portrush) on the 18th green at Royal Portrush Golf Club after the announcement that the Irish Open will be played at Royal Portrush in 2012 and Carton House in 2013. (Photo by Patrick Bolger/Getty Images)Ulster pride in major winners Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke could help end the search for an Irish Open sponsor.

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The Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club will stage the Irish Open for the first time since Harry Bradshaw triumphed there in 1947.After an absence of almost 60 years, and following two hugely successful stagings of the championship at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, the Irish Open will return to Northern Ireland this summer when the classic links at Royal Portrush hosts the 2012 event from Thursday June 28 to Sunday July 1, writes the European Tour.

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Key people in Rory McIlroy’s life in 2011 - new girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki and new manager Conor Ridge. Pictured in Dubai on December 10 by Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieAll eyes will be on Rory McIlroy in 2012 following his major breakthrough at the US Open. His eight-shot win at Congressional was one of the stories of the year but he also captured headlines for his activities off the course and none came bigger than his decision to sack manager Chubby Chandler and take on Conor Ridge at Horizon Sports Management.

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Darren Clarke shares a joke with Phil Mickelson at the Open Championship presentation. Picture Credit / Phil INGLIS / www.golffile.ieDarren Clarke’s magnificent Open Championship victory at Royal St George’s was arguably the highlight of the golfing summer. In the third instalment of our review of 2011, we look back at some of the most significant quotes this year. (Read Part I, Part II)

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US Open champion Rory McIlroy tweets a picture of his first major trophy before his press conference at Congressional Country Club on June 19. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieContinuing our review of Ireland’s great golfing year (Part I), it is worth remembering that while the game lost a great genius in Seve Ballesteros in May, it was celebrating the elevation of another rare talent to superstar status just a few weeks later.

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