At least that’s how the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship fairytale goes, unless of course you’re co-leaders Thomas Pieters or Ross Fisher, or anyone of the 13 other players within five shots of the lead.

As Matthew Fitzpatrick showed with his sizzling 63 on Saturday, Abu Dhabi G.C. is there for the taking, not withstanding the threat of gusty winds on Sunday. It certainly won’t surprise if someone the ilk of the 23-year-old Englishman, world No.1 Dustin Johnson, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood or even Andrew “Beef” Johnston, emerges as the joker from the chasing pack to win the Desert Swing opener.

But Rory, four-times a bridesmaid around The National and a player who has finished no worse than 11th in nine appearances in Abu Dhabi, is overdue a Falcon and clearly the most dangerous immediate threat to Pieters and Thomas.

The world No.11’s comeback to golf after a 3.5 month sabbatical is already well ahead of schedule as just one bogey in 54 holes illustrates. Even that dropped shot was spectacular after the 28-year-old holed out from the fringe after taking two to escape a greenside trap on the par 3 15th in his third round 65.

Indeed, the Northern Irishman has got better with every round – 69, 66, 65 – and appears in supreme control of his TaylorMade TP5x golf ball from tee to green and around it too as his chip-in for birdie on the 17th yesterday highlighted. With four majors, two WGC titles, seven regular season European Tour and as many again on the PGA Tour, it’s not like McIlroy doesn’t know how to seal the deal, ring rust or not.

So what would it mean to triumph straight out of the blocks in 2018 to erase the first winless, and injury riddled, year of your career?

“It would mean a lot. I’ve had a lot of close calls here, I think about six top threes or something like that,” said the former world No.1.

“I’ve never won my first start back out either. I was close last year in South Africa, Stormy [Graeme Storm] beat me in a playoff. It’s felt like a while since I’ve won and just to give myself these chances; I gave myself a chance at the end of the year at Close House and wasn’t able to do it. Paul Dunne played too well for me. I’m excited to get back on the horse and give myself another chance tomorrow.”

After a 67 Saturday, Pieters has a golden chance too and is a player unlikely to go backwards. That said, the Belgian, T-4 in 2015 and runner-up to Rickie Fowler a year later, will need his icy-cold putter to warm up or he could be overrun in what shapes up as an intriguing, multi-player shootout. The 25-year-old would almost be out of sight if he’d capitalised on all his third round chances but will instead need to survive Sunday’s scramble if he is to capture a fourth European Tour title.

“Yeah, first event out and that’s where you want to be [leading]. You want to have a bit of nerves and feel like you’re in contention, and I look forward to tomorrow,” Pieters said.

After rounds of 67-67-65, Fisher has zeroed in his first European Tour win since the 2014 Tshwane Open and is likewise excited to be in the mix.

“Just having a chance to win the first event for me on The European Tour season, such a prestigious event here in Abu Dhabi, HSBC, you only have to walk up 18 and see the list of past champions,” Fisher said.

“So to have a chance of putting my name amongst that illustrious property of players would be great. Have to go out and play as well as I have done the first three days. I’m excited and looking forward to the challenge.”

He’s not alone.

The post Elusive Falcon within McIlroy’s grasp as Pieters and Fisher lead in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

That proved the case again Friday with the 32-year-old German carving a sensational 69 out of wild weather to leapfrog 33 places up the Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard into a share of fifth place.

Kaymer is five shots adrift of overnight leader George Coetzee but slept on the official clubhouse lead at -4 alongside Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello who also fired a 69.

No.1 in the world rankings for eight weeks in 2011, Kaymer now finds himself 50^th having not won since the 2014. But for difficultly context, remember his last victory was at Pinehurst No.2 when he coasted the U.S. Open by eight shots from Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton.

“Very pleased, because I was hitting a lot of good golf shots.,” said Kaymer who was tied fourth in Abu Dhabi and T48 in Qatar heading to Dubai.

“I’m very happy with the way I’m striking the golf ball, and especially in wind like that, that’s a big factor if you strike it solid. Still, putting was very hard. Sometimes you hit before the gust and sometimes the gust comes without predicting, so it was very hard to make putts to get the ball close.”

Only the aptly named Englishman Graeme Storm (who won the South African Open last month) and Australian Scott Hend, who carded 68s to jump up to T22 and T48 respectively, scored better Friday.
Cabrera Bello was just as thrilled.

“Really, really happy with the way I played. Hit lots of fairways, most of the greens. Despite the wind, stayed patient,’ he said.

“It’s been a very tough day again, lots of wind. Pretty much the same intensity but kind of felt like it was all over the place. It wasn’t very consistent, and also lots of gusts, so it really made it tough out there.”
 

The post Martin Kaymer windswept <br> and contending in Dubai appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.