McIlroy targets weekend charge as Reed takes command in Dubai
Patrick Reed. Picture: Getty Images
Rory McIlroy does not believe a seven-shot deficit with fellow Masters champion Patrick Reed is an unbridgeable gap, but he will need to find his A-game at the weekend if he’s to win his fifth Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The world number two improved on his opening 73 with a six-birdie 69 on another challenging day at the Emirates Golf Club, where deep rough and shiny, firm greens have put a premium on driving accuracy and putting.
There were also three bogeys in a round that might have been a couple of shots lower and with Reed’s six-under 66 one of just four bogey-free rounds recorded yesterday, it’s clear that McIlroy will need to be close to his best to close that gap.
“I think I came from ten behind a couple of years ago to win,” said McIlroy, who is tied for 20th on two under. “If I go out there tomorrow, maybe in slightly better conditions in the morning and post a low one, then I'll be right in the mix come Sunday.”
McIlroy will also have to overcome Holywood clubmate Tom McKibbin and Ryder Cup partner Shane Lowry, who shot respective rounds of 70 and 71 to share 13th on three-under.
He will also have to keep bogeys to a minimum to scale the leaderboard after again struggling to find his best stuff.
“I thought the game, like the long game clicked a little bit better today,” he said. “I hit a lot better iron shots. I think just I had a lot of putts that looked like they were going to go in but didn’t.
“I feel like I gave myself plenty of opportunities, and I didn't take maybe as many as I wanted to.
“But I'm sure everyone in the field feels that way, as well. But I have a tee time tomorrow, and hopefully shoot a good one and get right back in contention.”
A Sunday showdown with Reed would bring back memories of 2023, when he held off the American to win the third of his four titles by a shot.
That was also the year that McIlroy studiously ignored Reed on the range, irked about being subpoenaed by the American’s lawyer on Christmas Eve as part of a defamation case.
Reed responded by playfully tossing a golf tee at McIlroy, who went on to edge him out for the title on Sunday.
The LIV Golf star leads by a shot on nine-under from Andy Sullivan, who shot 65, and by two strokes from Italy’s Andrew Pavan and first-round leader Francesco Molinari.
With much debate this week over the fines owed by LIV Golf stars to the DP World Tour, Reed said he was not going to let the financial penalties affect him,
“If it happens to be where I’m being fined and having to pay fines to play out here, so be it,” he told reporters.
“I’m not going to allow that to deter me from showing support and playing on this tour. Play well and it offsets.”
McKibbin has also thrown his lot with LIV Golf and his 70 has put him on the fringes of contention for a DP World win that could catapult him into the world’s top 50.
He’s now 75th in the world after winning the Hong Kong Open last year to earn his Masters debut and this third appearance in The Open.
While it remains to be seen if LIV Golf is awarded OWGR points this season, this week offers him the chance to win points and improve his chances of qualifying for the US Open.
“I think I did quite well last year by being able to move up quite a bit even though I was playing a lot less (counting) events than normal with points, but I think it would really benefit everyone if that was to be the case,” he told Bunkered of the prospect of LIV Golf being awarded world ranking points.
He’s tied with Lowry, who had a poor day with the driver, hitting just five fairways, but still managed to grind out a one-under par round.
Pádraig Harrington also had his troubles from the tee and after hitting only 10 greens in regulation and taking 33 putts, he signed for a 77 to miss the cut by four strokes and turned his thoughts to next week’s Bahrain Championship.
