Today's Edition
Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)
Rory McIlroy once again came agonisingly close to a maiden victory in Abu Dhabi, storming home with a flawless 10 under par 62 to finish just one shot shy of making the play-off with Tommy Fleetwood and eventual winner Aaron Rai.
The Northern Irishman, who has now recorded 10 top-three finishes in 14 appearances in the emirate without ever lifting the trophy, lit up Yas Links with a back-nine charge that briefly threatened to turn the tournament on its head.
“I got off to a really good start,” McIlroy said. “I was 3 under through two and then stalled a little bit, but I started the back nine with 5 birdies in a row. Once I was 9 under through 14, I thought, if I can post a number here, I might just have a chance.”
He set the clubhouse lead at 24-under before Fleetwood and Rai matched him from the final groups. “I said to Harry [Diamond, his caddie] walking off the last green, at least we’re going to make them earn it,” McIlroy said with a grin.
With Fleetwood and Rai toiling hard three groups back in one of the most open and hotly contested rounds in the tournament’s history, McIlroy could only watch ending another top-three ending – he finished tied-third with Nicolai Hojgaard.
The 36-year-old McIlroy chose look on the bright side before next week when he launches his pursuit of a fifth Race to Dubai title to draw level with record holder Colin Montgomerie.
“This was a great confidence-builder,” he said. While the Falcon Trophy remains the one that got away again, Sunday’s charge was a reminder that McIlroy will once again arrive in Dubai as favourite.
