A double-bogey to close on Friday cost Rory McIlroy the midway lead at the DP World Tour Championship.
The two-time champion, looking to become the first player to win the European Tour’s season-ending event for a third time, seemed set to keep hold of top spot for the second successive night when he stepped on to the par-five 18th on the Earth Course with a one-shot advantage.
However, McIlroy found the bunker off the tee, then the creek with his approach and failed to get up and down for at least a share of the lead going into Saturday. The four-time major champion holed out for a seven to card a two-under 70. Subsequently, he sits on nine-under par alongside Alexander Bjork of Sweden, one shot back.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry shares a three-way lead on 10-under with American John Catlin and England’s Sam Horsfield. Current Race to Dubai frontrunner Collin Morikawa, meanwhile, is in a tie for sixth on eight-under together with two-time major champion Martin Kaymer.
When put to McIlroy immediately afterwards that some were surprised he opted for his driver off the tee on the 18th, given the narrow landing area, the world No 8 said: “I hit a good drive down there yesterday. It's a comfortable tee shot for me. I hit that tee shot really well, I actually didn't expect it to go as far as it did and get up into the face of the bunker.
“Even that was fine. And then, the third shot, I hit a really good shot. That part of the fairway where the ball was, was quite sort of thatchy and [it] came up spinny into the wind. I hit a good golf shot and felt like I didn't deserve to be in the water. And it was a tricky up-and-down from there."
"It wasn't the greatest way to finish. I was just sort of holding it together most of the day. I was a little scrappier than yesterday, but felt like I was doing OK. It would have been nice to finish off a bit better but I'm still right in the golf tournament.”
McIlroy, who won last month on his most recent competitive outing, opened the tournament on Thursday with a superb 65 that included four birdies and an eagle in his first eight holes. The former world No 1, winner at Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2012 and 2015, goes out in his third round with reigning Open champion Morikawa.
“That will be good,” McIlroy said. “Look, I'm playing nicely. I started well again today and hit a lot of good shots on the front nine. It was sort of a little scrappy around the middle but I was able to hang in there with my short game.
“So, the good stuff is in there. I still feel like I played well and I feel like 70 is sort of the worst I could have shot today, especially with the finish. Hopefully that's the bad one out of the way.”
Like McIlroy, Lowry has a pretty decent track record at the event. The 2019 Open champion, who won in Abu Dhabi that year too, was fifth in 2014 and then tied-second three years later. On Friday, Lowry fired a blemish-free 65, highlighted by a chip-in for an eagle on the 14th.
Having said this week that winning the season finale would represent the ticking of an item off his bucket list, the Irishman was keen not to let that change his mindset going into the final two rounds.
“Just keep doing what I'm doing,” Lowry said. “For me personally, it's two more days left and the end of a long year and a half, I suppose, long couple years. I'm looking forward to giving everything and leaving it on the course this weekend. And hopefully I'm there near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon."
With the Race to Dubai fast reaching its conclusion, Morikawa remains very much in pole position. The American, one of six who could secure the year-long crown this week, is the highest placed of the contenders after a second successive 68. The two-time major champion is bidding to become the first player from the US to capture the European Tour Order of Merit.
Compatriot Billy Horschel, arriving in Dubai second in the Race standings, is eight shots worse off in a tie for 43rd. Matt Fitzpatrick and Paul Casey are the nearest to Morikawa of those still in the hunt. The English duo lay three shots back on five-under, however, either would need to win this week to take the Race to Dubai.
Asked if he checks out his Race rivals’ scores after each round, Morikawa said: “I'm aware. But I've got to focus on the weekend. I want to win this tournament.
“That's all I care about, winning this tournament and everything else will kind of settle itself. That's my focus. We've played a decent two days and we've got two more rounds to go.”
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Could%20We%20Be%20More
%3Cp%3EArtist%3A%20Kokoroko%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Brownswood%20Recordings%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
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
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- 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
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
|
1.
|
United States
|
|
2.
|
China
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Kill%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nikhil%20Nagesh%20Bhat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Lakshya%2C%20Tanya%20Maniktala%2C%20Ashish%20Vidyarthi%2C%20Harsh%20Chhaya%2C%20Raghav%20Juyal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Overall standings
1. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) 68hr 18min 36sec,
2. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) at 0:18.
3. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:23.
4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 0:29.
5. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 1:17.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
