Rory McIlroy retained the lead at the end of the second day of the Dubai Invitational, despite one remarkable aberration on Friday.
The Northern Irishman’s game has been in fine working order on his first outing of the season on the DP World Tour.
He has been in chipper mood, trading high fives with his playing partners, and has generally cut a relaxed figure in the confines of the pro-am format.
Even when the wheels came off in dramatic fashion. Across 35 of the 36 holes he has played so far at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, he has shot 14 birdies.
His standards dropped on just one hole – and that cost him a quadruple-bogey four at the par-3 eighth. He was short, left, and in the water with his tee shot.
At least his shot from the drop zone made it as far as the green, only for that, too, to dribble back and flop into the water. He ended up signing for a seven.
Normal service was quickly restored. He birdied the 10th, added two more before the close, and ended the day with a two-shot lead ahead of Jeff Winther, at 10-under par.
“I think if I look at the other 17 holes that I played, I played very, very well again,” McIlroy said.
“I hit some good iron shots, and played not too dissimilarly to the way I played yesterday [when he fired a 9-under par 62]. I maybe holed a couple more putts yesterday. But the conditions were getting a little trickier.
“I felt like I did well just to get my head back into it and play some solid golf on the way in, and everyone seemed to find it a little more difficult today than yesterday. It’s nice to go into the weekend still with the lead.”
Because of the format of a tournament which is set to feature on the tour every other year, some news that would usually be regarded as being beyond the course actually made its way inside the ropes on Friday.
The previous evening, Keith Pelley announced he would be stepping down as the Tour’s chief executive in April. The 60-year-old has overseen a time of significant change in the sport during eight and a half years in the role.
Pelley is among the field of 60 amateur players in action at the Creek. He is leaving to become the president and CEO of the management company in charge of ice hockey’s Toronto Maple Leafs, basketball’s Toronto Raptors, and the football team Toronto FC.
“I'm happy for him,” McIlroy said. “I think the job he's going to is one that he's probably wanted for a long, long time.
“Being from Canada, especially Toronto and be able to run two major sports in Toronto, the hockey team and the basketball team, I think is a wonderful opportunity for Keith.”
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
SPECS
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Lewis Hamilton in 2018
Australia 2nd; Bahrain 3rd; China 4th; Azerbaijan 1st; Spain 1st; Monaco 3rd; Canada 5th; France 1st; Austria DNF; Britain 2nd; Germany 1st; Hungary 1st; Belgium 2nd; Italy 1st; Singapore 1st; Russia 1st; Japan 1st; United States 3rd; Mexico 4th
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
