Rory McIlroy signed for a second-round 69 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Friday, improving on his opening round as Emirates Golf Club presented once again a stiff challenge.
Strong winds and firm greens on the back nine tested the world-class field, but McIlroy navigated the conditions with restrained aggression and clever shot selection.
“I felt like I did pretty well. Conditions got trickier as the day went on… you have to pick-and-choose your spots when to be aggressive,” McIlroy said.
The World Number Two focused on taking advantage of the par 5s while avoiding mistakes on the tighter holes. He struck a number of excellent iron shots and rolled several putts that narrowly missed, leaving him in a confident place heading into the weekend in search of his fifth Dallah trophy.
Despite a couple of frustrating closing holes, the Northern Irishman remains well-positioned. “I had a lot of putts that looked like they were going to go in but didn’t… I gave myself plenty of opportunities.
“I’ve got a tee time tomorrow and hopefully shoot a good one and get right back in contention,” he added.
McIlroy sits seven shots back of early pacesetter Patrick Reed, but he knows the leaderboard can shift quickly. Recalling his previous comeback in this event in 2024, he said: “I came from ten behind a couple of years ago to win… if I post a low one tomorrow, I’ll be right in the mix come Sunday.
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