Rory McIlroy Opens Dubai Desert Classic With 70

Rory McIlroy kicked off his 2025 season with a two-under-par 70 at the Dubai Desert Classic, marking his first competitive round in two months. The defending champion struggled initially, finishing the first eight holes one over but rebounded with three birdies in the last ten holes. McIlroy described his performance as 'scrappy', noting he was not as comfortable as he had been in practice. He currently sits five shots behind the leaders, David Micheluzzi and Ricardo Gouveia, who both shot 65s. Despite the rough start, McIlroy expressed relief at finishing under par and recognized areas in his game that need improvement, particularly in his short game. He aims for his third consecutive win at this event and is focused on refining his approach as the season progresses.