Rory McIlroy sounded an ominous warning to his rivals including World No. 1 Tiger shooting his lowest score in more than three years on day one of the 25th anniversary Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
McIlroy grabbed an eagle and seven birdies in a nine under par 63.
It is McIlroy’s lowest round on either the European Tour or PGA Tour since a similar 63 on day one of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open.
This is closest Tiger Woods got to Rory McIlroy on the opening day of the 25th anniversary Dubai Desert Classic. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
The 63 also equals his lowest European Tour as McIlroy had shot the same score in July 2010 to lead the Open Championship.
He also had a 63 on route to finishing second in the 2008 Omega European Masters.
And McIlroy’s lowest PGA Tour score was also in 2010 on the final day to win his first victory in the States – the Quail Hollow Championship.
McIlroy continues to show a renewed confidence in his game as evident in coming from behind late last year to shoot a last day 66 and defeat Masters champion, Adam Scott to win the Emirates Australian Open in Sydney.
He was then joint runner-up a fortnight ago in his first event of 2014 in nearby Abu Dhabi.
“This is my best round since shooting 66 to beat Scotty down in Australia at the end of last year so it was up there,” he said.
“I shot a 64 in the Deutsche Bank last year, but it’s definitely the lowest round I’ve shot in a while.
“Today was another step up from Abu Dhabi as I controlled my irons better as was distance control.
“My wedges are still not where I want them to be but having four wedges now in the bag, you can see how well I am driving it that I am leaving myself a lot of wedges into the green so that’s going to help.”
McIlroy commenced his round from the 10th and quickly birdied three holes in succession from his third before adding birdies at seventh and ninth holes.
He was then the only player in the 63-player morning half of the draw to eagle the par five, 3rd hole or 12th hole of his round when he hit a 256-yard 5-wood to just eight feet and holed the putt.
Tour Miss with Jock MacVicar (brown cap) and Bernie (in front of Jock) among the media who had Tiger Woods surrounded after his round of 68. (Photo – European Tour)
McIlroy easily upstaged a struggling World No. 1 Tiger Woods who played his front nine in four under par but failed to manage one birdie over his inward nine in a score of 68.
“Overall it was a pretty good score but maybe I could have gotten two more out of it,” said Woods.
“After going 0-for-12 on birdies on the par fives last week, it was actually nice to make one at the first hole right out of the gate.”
Woods then headed straight to the practice range after his round.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher who played alongside both McIlroy and Woods in the defence of his Dubai title is off to a bright start with a six under par 66 that included a ninth hole eagle.
“It was a good start to my defence and I would have been more than happy to take a 66 on the first tee,” said Gallacher.
“I played alongside Tiger on Tuesday so I knew what to expect, and it was just a matter of getting on with my own game.
“So Tiger’s been fine but then Rory’s been brilliant.”
Joining Gallacher sharing second place is South African Richard Sterne and Frenchman Julien Quesne who was at eight under par playing the last but found the water guarding the green in taking a double bogey.
And former 1995 champion, Fred Couples shot a two under par 70 and a similar score to the 1996 winner Colin Montgomerie.
