When i got to the gym early this morning I read the Globe and Mail article on Rory McIlroy and in it he was talking about Tiger eventually returning to form in a year or so, but right now " he's playing just like one of the guys" He added that he didn't think he would ever dominate again the way he did early in 2000.
Today Rory played like Tiger used to, out driving his partners by 40 yards at time, firing boldly over bunkers right at pins and he posted a -7 65, 2 shots clear of a resurgent Sergio Garcia, who was 9th in Qatar, and is in at -5 67 along with South African Thomas Aiken.. Garcia is 79th in the world and needs to finish 2nd or better this week to get into the top 64 that qualify for the Accenture Match Play where he was a semi finalist last year.
In his last five events McIlroy has finished fifth, sixth, fifth, fourth and then second in Abu Dhabi and he won here 2 years ago when he opened with a 64.
As for the big three, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are T10, -3 69. Westwood barely got over the pond on 18 in 3, then 3 putted to spoil a solid day.... Martin Kaymer was the best of the bunch and his score would have been better if not for a bad break on the 9th when his approach hit one of the courtesy tents and ricocheted across the green into the pond for a double bogey.
Tiger is T27 after a -1 71, a round which he described as ' scratchy" He saved his day with a staggering eagle 3 at the 18th.
From 254 yards on the par five he struck a towering shot over the water to within six feet of the flag.
"It was pretty interesting. As much as I had to shape the tee shot right to left I had to shape that left to right," said Woods."I had to take something off it and threw it up in the air - it was perfect."
He had 3 bogey's and a double, but also 4 birdies and an eagle 37,34 71..
David Howell from England who like many European Tour players lives in Dubai with his wife Emily made a hole in one with a perfect tee shot over the water 186 yards on the par 3 7th. He wins 2 first class tickets anywhere in the world from Dubai's airline.
7 - 1 MCILROY, Rory* -7 18 -7 65 - - - 65
T2 GARCIA, Sergio* -5 18 -5 67 - - - 67
T2 AIKEN, Thomas -5 18 -5 67 - - - 67
T4 GONNET, Jean-Baptiste -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T4 WILLETT, Danny* -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T4 WEBSTER, Steve -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T4 DUBUISSON, Victor* -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T4 STERNE, Richard -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T4 MARTIN, Pablo -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T10 HAMILTON, Todd -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 RUMFORD, Brett -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 WALL, Anthony* -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 BROWN, Mark* -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 ANDERSSON HED, Fredrik -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 HANSON, Peter -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 WESTWOOD, Lee -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 KAYMER, Martin -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
T10 HANSEN, Anders -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
Bryan Angus
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