“Even if something was to happen, I wouldn’t feel unsafe.”

I DON’T FEEL ‘UNSAFE’ SAYS McIRLOY …

Declares @McIlroyRory as he was asked his views teeing-up in this week’s @ADGolfChamps given the safety aspect competing in the UAE capital.

And McIlroy quizzed on the eventual outcome of this year’s Race to Dubai declaring: “It will be interesting the next few days with Patrick and Eugenio out there. Patrick has maybe a bit more experience but especially Eugenio, his first time or experience in a position like this. It will be great to play with him next two days and see how he handles that.”

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✅ @TOURMISS

— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) November 4, 2026

McIlroy, a winner of six major championships, also praised the UAE’s security capabilities, suggesting he would remain comfortable in the country even if the regional situation were to change.

“I feel like the UAE in general has been a good place for me,”  he said.

“But yeah, it’s crazy to think that the 15 years that I’ve been coming here with how many times I’ve been in contention, I haven’t been able to get over line.

“Yeah, hopefully this year, hopefully I give myself another chance. I feel like we played at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for a lot of years, and then from coming here, you know, recently, the course is definitely growing on me. I think the first time I played it, I probably didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoy now.

“I think a big po, art of that is conditioning of the course and how great the greens are and the surrounds and the fairways everything and.

“Yeah, obviously I’d love to win. I need a big week to give myself a real chance going into Dubai next week, as well. Yeah, hopefully I play well and at least give myself another chance”.

In his 15th appearance in the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, McIlroy has never won the title though being runner-up on four prior occasions speaks volumes for his credentials.

“I feel like the UAE in general has been a good place for me. But yeah, it’s crazy to think that the 15 years that I’ve been coming here with how many times I’ve been in contention, I haven’t been able to get over line,” he said.

“Yeah, hopefully this year, hopefully I give myself another chance. I feel like we played at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for a lot of years, and then from coming here, you know, recently, the course is definitely growing on me. I think the first time I played it, I probably didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoy now.

“I think a big po, art of that is conditioning of the course and how great the greens are and the surrounds and the fairways everything and.

“Yeah, obviously I’d love to win. I need a big week to give myself a real chance going into Dubai next week, as well. Yeah, hopefully I play well and at least give myself another chance.”

And as a sidelight, McIlroy was asked he thoughts following DP World Tour CEO’s Guy Kinnings comments on the future of LIV Golf.

“Yeah, I agree with Guy. It did. Verbatim. They (LIV Golf) were going around at Augusta this year telling people that that’s what they wanted to do,” said McIlroy.

“And then, it’s ironic that a week later, now they are talking about completing and not competing and all that. That’s different from what they were saying at the start of the year. I think everything that’s transpired, a lot of the guys wanted to come back and play the DP World Tour. I think it puts this tour in a really strong position.

“I know they are working through a new agreement with the PGA Tour post-’27 after the first Strategic Alliance is sort of over or is able to be renegotiated, and I know that things are progressing there and hopefully that will all get done here over, maybe over the next few weeks.

“I think this is as strong as this tour has been in a long, long time. You know, I saw thought what Guy had to say last night in that article was very good”.

Of course, this week is all about the DP World Tour.

“Yeah, it will be interesting the next few days with Patrick (Reed) and Eugenio ( out there,” said McIlroy.

“Patrick has maybe a bit more experience but especially Eugenio, his first time or experience in a position like this. It will be great to play with him next two days and see how he handles that.

“But yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited to be in the conversation. I wish I had played a bit better in India to get myself a little bit closer to those two guys.

“There’s so many points on offer here and next week in Dubai. I know either two good finishes or a win and a good finish, I’ll be right there”.