Rory McIlroy will kick off his 2025 season this week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, sky sports live broadcast, The defending champions have an immediate chance to make history.
McIlroy put in a strong performance in his first DP World Tour Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club, the Northern Irishman making his first global start since winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in November.
The two-stroke victory gave him his third consecutive Race to Dubai title and sixth Harry Vardon Trophy, leaving him two strokes shy of Colin Montgomerie's all-time money record, with McIlroy now chasing more in the city. Many trophies. He had more success than anyone else.
McIlroy has won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic more times than any other player, last year's victory was his fourth title, and this week he has the chance to break his own record and become the first to lift the Dara Trophy. player.
How good is McIlroy's Dubai record?
Few know the Majlis course better than McIlroy, who made his debut as a 16-year-old amateur at the 2006 event and won his first DP World Tour title at the same event three years later.
Since winning in 2009, McIlroy has never finished in the top 10 in nine appearances at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, where he became the event's youngest winner, finishing sixth a year later and 10th in 2011. first, fifth in 2012, ninth in 2014, and then the championship. Winning in 2015 by three strokes.
He finished sixth in 2016 and finished runner-up to Li Haotong in 2018, then beat Patrick Reed by one shot in 2023 and finally beat Adrian Meronc by the same margin. (Adrian Meronk), successfully defended his title. January.
Combined with McIlroy's three DP World Tour titles, this means seven of his 18 career DP World Tour titles have come in Dubai, making it the perfect place for him to start the new season.
Who else is there?
Viktor Hovland returns to action for the first time since winning the title in 2022, while two-time Grand Slam winner and Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm makes his debut Won the Dubai DP World Tour Championship.
Tommy Fleetwood won all four races in the British and Irish Team Cup last week, while Rolex Series champions Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hoggard (Nicolai Hojgaard) and Tyrrell Hatton are out there.
2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed is one of at least six LIV Golf League players, while Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, former world No. 1 Adam Scott Scott and rising PGA Tour star Akshay Bhatia are other big names involved.
What happened at last year’s event?
McIlroy was 10 shots behind at halftime before shooting a third-round 63 to close the gap on Cameron Young to two shots before pulling away with an impressive final-round performance. arena.
He shared the lead through the first four holes and took a personal advantage on the sixth hole after errors from both Young and Meronc. He made back-to-back birdies on the eighth hole and McIlroy reached the turn with a three-shot cushion.
McIlroy's advantage shrank from four to one when Melonc made back-to-back birdies on the back nine, although the four-time major champion held off the chasers with a 2-under 70 and won by one shot.
The win was the first of four global titles for McIlroy in another major-slam-less season, having won the New Orleans Classic in Zurich and the Wells Fargo Championship on the PGA Tour before ending the season in Dubai. .
Will McIlroy win again and fuel 2025?
The 35-year-old has finished in the top two more times than he's missed the cut during his illustrious career, which spans some 18 seasons, and McIlroy is now focused on continuing his quest to become the most successful player in history European golfers.
“I've come this far, I might as well try to get to eight or nine [Race to Dubai titles]”, McIlroy said after his last win in November. “If I want to pass Monty, I'm going to try to achieve something that no one else in the game has achieved. [Colin Montgomerie]”.
McIlroy's first priority – no matter how he performs in Dubai this week – will be to try and win an elusive fifth major title of the season and his first since his success at the 2014 PGA Championship Championship, he has come very close to winning the Grand Slam title many times since. .
“I think he's more determined than ever to go out next year,” Shane Lowry said in November. “Obviously the Masters is going to be the biggest thing on my mind, and like me, he will be too. Focus on other big events and the Ryder Cup.”
Why is this week important?
Rolex Series events offer more Ryder Cup qualifying points than regular DP World Tour events, meaning any European winner this week will have a big boost in his bid to join Luke Donald's team in September The hope of Bethpage Black.
Due to their participation in the LIV Golf League, this will likely be Rahm and Hatton's only DP World Tour event (aside from the Majors) before the qualification period ends in August, meaning this week will be great for them to help try and secure Opportunities to win a championship are limited. Automatic Ryder Cup in stock.
These events carry at least twice as many Dubai points as any event so far this season, with 8,000 points available, meaning the winner will immediately jump to the top of the season-long standings.
How can I watch the action?
sky sports Coverage of all four rounds of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic will be expanded, with featured groups live starting at 4am each day sky sports golf And place bonus actions before main actions.
With full coverage starting at 7.30am on Thursdays and Fridays and live from 7am on weekends, Sky Sports also shows all four rounds of the PGA Tour American Express and Latin American Amateur Championship. Stream DP World Tour, professional events and more through NOW.