Rory McIlroy, produced not just one, but a masterclass of magic moments on the Majlis Course on moving day in the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

The World Number Two, paired with Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, started the day 10 shots back from overnight leader, American Cameron Young. Just as McIlroy has done many times, he came out the blocks fast on Saturday by birdieing two of his first three holes to close the gap to eight strokes.

Still lay a mountain of work ahead of the Ulsterman. But he responded with a string of four birdies in the same amount of holes, thanks to his approach play, from the 7th to 10th. He had now climbed himself to eight under par for the tournament.

But he still wasn’t done. A further birdie on the par five 13th, a feat he has done every day so far this week, got him into double digits overall. And as McIlroy has done many times before, he left his best trick until the last.

A 298-yard fairway-finding drive down the 18th, left him with just 213 yards to the pin. He struck his approach shot onto the centre of the green, as it then released onto the back fringe. You can guess what happened next.

In proper Rory style, he proceeded to roll in a long left-to-right breaking eagle putt, which was welcomed with a rapturous applause from the crowds in the amphitheatre grandstands on 18.

Safe to say, Rory enjoyed that round of golf!

“I played some very, very good golf. Definitely better than I played the last couple of days and nice to get myself right back in the tournament.

“I just thought if I could play the front nine better. I’ve played the front nine a little scrappily the last couple days.

“I thought if I could get off to a good start, I was a couple under through three, and I thought if I could pick one or two more up from that tough stretch from 5 through 9, and I ended up picking 3-up, birdieing 7, 8 and 9, which was fantastic. And then just kept it going into the back nine,” said McIlroy.

“I think for me, the key to this golf course is always the front nine because it is the tougher nine, and if you can play that nine well, you give yourself a ton of momentum going into the more scorable back nine.”

This 63 equates to his lowest round in a Rolex Series event and matches his lowest round over the Majlis Course, last time he did that was in the opening round of this event in 2014.

Rory is looking to become the only player to have won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic four times, a feat that would eclipse Ernie Els. If he does win, he would become only the second person to successfully defend their title, after Stephen Gallacher did so in 2013 & 2014.

“It would be amazing. First player to get my name on it four times, yeah, it would be awesome.

“I’ve had so much success in Dubai, whether it be at this tournament or over at Jumeirah Golf Estates and the Race to Dubai. It’s been a really, really good place to me.”

“I love coming back here. I really enjoy my time here. It would be amazing if I was able to get another win.

Image: Getty