DUBAI // The fact there is no halfway cut in the DP World Tour Championship has spared the blushes of many a star in the seven years the tournament has been played.
The European Tour’s top 60 players are here for the duration – whether they like it or not.
Seldom has Rory McIlroy required such a safety net. No one else has been more successful around the Earth Course than the two-time winner from Northern Ireland.
And yet the world No 2 gave the impression in Round 1 that he might not, in actual fact, mind having the weekend off.
See also:
• In pictures: Willett, Garcia, Westwood and McIlroy tackle Earth Course
• Henrik Stenson: Not expecting a repeat of 2015 aberration
• Permutations: Who needs to finish where to win Race to Dubai?
• Rory McIlroy: Dismisses Race to Dubai chances
• Facts and figures: Behind the Race to Dubai season-finale
For much of it, he looked as though he would have happily been anywhere other than on the golf course. He ended it on three-over par, tied for 55th, with just three players in the field worse off.
McIlroy’s faltering round of 75 reached its nadir when he hit his half-submerged ball from the water protecting the front of the 16th green.
On his first attempt he moved the ball two inches forward, meaning he had to remove his right shoe and sock and stand in the water for his next effort. In the end, it cost him six.
The treacherous par-4 has provided a watery grave for many hopes down the years. Barely an hour earlier, Sergio Garcia had been on the charge at the top of the leaderboard, only to similarly post a double-bogey at No 16.
“It is a shame,” said Garcia, who signed for a four-under 68, giving him a share of fourth place at the end of Round 1.
“I just overhit my second shot a little bit, and it still looked like it was going to hold on. Unfortunately it went in the water.
“Other than that, I felt like I played really nicely all day.”
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Pathaan
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The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Score
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
New Zealand lead three-match ODI series 1-0
Next match: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Friday
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
