On Friday afternoon, the organizers of the Dubai Desert Classic had some reason to panic. Jon Rahm was already out of the tournament after 36 holes, Viktor Hovland was heading in the same direction and Rory McIlroy was dangerously close to the cut line. This isn’t the first time at the Emirates Club that McIlroy has saved the day; a birdie at the 18th allowed him to survive for the weekend with three shots to spare. Given McIlroy’s specialization in this area – he is aiming for a third consecutive victory – a nine-point deficit to leader Ewen Ferguson should not faze the Northern Irishman.
Rahm’s struggles in his first start in 2025 and his debut in this tournament caused widespread shock. The Spaniard’s second-round 77, including two double bogeys, contrasted sharply with a 69 on Thursday. “This is not the way you want to start the year,” admitted the 2023 Masters champion.
“But if there’s a silver lining, it’s the start of the year. There’s a lot of golf and a lot of months to look forward to. I have a pretty clear idea of what I need to work on. For these next two weeks, I’m going to go home and try to get better.
“I wouldn’t say anything went well. No part of today’s match was even average compared to how I’d like to feel.
Ten out of 10 for honesty. Rahm also admirably refused to criticize anything about the event itself. He is in fact planning to return despite this early exit. “I love the golf course, I love the layout,” he added. “There is nothing bad I can say about this tournament.
“You don’t usually see rough this long and this thick outside of major championships. So I think that shows that the test is correct. If schedule allows, I would like to be here next year and hope to get some redemption.
An icy putter was largely responsible for McIlroy’s low-key round of 71. As he made a bogey at the 15th to slip to two under, there were some anxious looks. “They’re really tricky,” McIlroy said of the greens. “There are a lot of cereals, a lot of cereals going in different directions, double breakers. I felt like I was making some really good putts and burning a lot of edges. So I have to continue to try to make committed lines and make good reads. Hopefully sooner or later they will fall.
McIlroy will have an opportunity to improve early on day three. Hovland’s 73 meant he started at plus four. The Norwegian’s game clearly remains in flux, which is already raising questions about his participation in the Ryder Cup later this year.
Ferguson finished in style in fading light. The Dubai-based Scot holed an approach to the Sharjah-bound 18th before bouncing off a stand less than 5 feet from the hole. An eagle followed, his 65 putting him ahead of Daniel Hillier at 12 under. Tyrrell Hatton lurks at eight under par.