Drama at the 72nd hole sees Englishman take title ahead of his European Ryder Cup colleague.
In Dubai, it was expected that Rory McIlroy would be in contention until the very end. However, an unfortunate setback from the past hindered his chances of victory in the inaugural Dubai Invitational.
Instead, it was Tommy Fleetwood who emerged as the champion, securing the title with a birdie on the final hole of the tournament.
Although McIlroy is typically the fan favorite at most tournaments, Fleetwood is also adored, particularly on the fairways of Dubai, where he currently resides.
On the last day of the competition, McIlroy, playing alongside Fleetwood, began the final hole with a one-stroke advantage over both Fleetwood and Thristan Lawrence, who had already finished with an impressive score of 18-under par.
The second-ranked player in the world had his chances dashed when he made a bogey due to hitting the water.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. Two years ago, McIlroy lost the Dubai Desert Classic title to Viktor Hovland after hitting the water on the final hole at Emirates Golf Club.
On that occasion, his approach shot landed in the middle of the pond that guards the front of the 18th green.
This time, he hit his tee-shot on the 72nd hole at Dubai Creek and Yacht Club into the body of water that the course is named after.
Fleetwood, on the other hand, displayed remarkable composure. He expertly directed his drive towards the center of the fairway, executed a precise approach shot to within 16 feet of the hole, and confidently sank the putt for a birdie, securing a winning score of 19-under par.
“This is undoubtedly my home turf, and I receive tremendous support here,” expressed Fleetwood, who held a one-shot lead heading into the final round. “It’s fantastic to start the year with such a fantastic outcome and build upon it.”
“For quite some time now, I’ve been consistently performing exceptionally well,” Fleetwood continued. “I have an incredible team of individuals who I work with, regardless of whether I win, lose, or draw.”
“The upcoming week, when McIlroy and I will both participate in the Desert Classic, will be no different,” Fleetwood affirmed. “We will simply continue to forge ahead and strive towards progress in the right direction.”
If McIlroy is left to lament a missed opportunity, his driver at the final hole was not the only culprit. McIlroy came within two feet of achieving five consecutive birdies down the stretch, only to inexplicably three-putt after firing his tee shot at the par-3 14th to a kick-in range.
Reflecting on his performance, McIlroy stated, “Considering it was my first week back out, it was a truly positive week.”
However, upon reviewing today’s round, McIlroy acknowledged his mistakes, including a tee shot into the water with an iron on the front nine resulting in a bogey at the par-4 sixth, the aforementioned three-putt from three feet on the par 3, and ultimately, the ball finding the water on the final hole.
During the initial week of resuming activities, it is anticipated that certain careless errors may occur. Regrettably, in my case, these errors happened at an inopportune moment.
However, I will take the time to analyze and gain knowledge from these mistakes. It is important to acknowledge that there are still numerous positive aspects to focus on. I simply need to rectify some minor issues, and if I accomplish that, I will approach the upcoming week with confidence.
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