Rory McIlroy came through an enthralling final-round tussle with rival Patrick Reed to claim a dramatic victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and make a winning start to 2023.
The world No 1 took a three-shot lead into the final round of the Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club, only for LIV Golf member Reed – who was involved in a pre-tournament dispute with McIlroy – to jump ahead by making an eagle and five birdies in his first 13 holes.
McIlroy made three birdies in a five-hole stretch from the ninth but bogeyed the 15th, while a dropped shot from Reed at the par-four next raised the possibility of a mouth-watering play-off between the pair.
Reed – playing in the group ahead of the Northern Irishman – birdied the par-five last to close a seven-under 65 and set the clubhouse target at 18 under, but McIlroy produced a birdie-birdie finish to complete a final-round 68 and snatch a one-shot victory.
McIlroy’s triumph marks the first time he has won his opening start of a calendar year and also sees him join Ernie Els as a three-time winner of the Dubai Desert Classic, with his latest success extending his advantage at the top of the world rankings.
McIlroy opened with three two-putt pars and scrambled to avoid dropping a shot at the par-three fourth after narrowly finding water off the tee, as Reed followed a birdie at the second by rolling in from 20 feet at the par-five next to close within two.
The American missed a good opportunity from half the distance at the next but holed out from a greenside bunker at the sixth to move one behind McIlroy, who got up and down from the sand on the same par-four to maintain his bogey-free start.
Reed clenched his fist in celebration after holing from 10 feet to save par at the ninth and remain at 14 under, as McIlroy ended a run of pars and doubled his advantage by signing off his front nine with an eight-foot birdie.
McIlroy made a two-putt birdie at the par-five 10th to edge back ahead of Reed, who almost holed his incredible approach into the same hole to set up a tap-in eagle, only for his rival to respond by making a six-foot birdie at the next to leave them locked together at the top of the leaderboard.
Reed edged ahead for the first time with a kick-in birdie at the 13th, as McIlroy two-putted from 20 feet on the same par-five and then got up and down from a greenside bunker to save par at the next and remain at 18 under.
McIlroy carded his first bogey of the day when he found rough off the par-three 15th tee and then failed to convert his par-save putt from the fringe, while Reed missed from seven feet to rescue par at the next after a wayward drive left him pitching out from behind a tree.
Reed recovered from finding a bush off the 17th tee to scramble a par, but fell one behind when McIlroy produced a brilliant drive to the front edge of the green and two-putted for birdie.
A two-putt birdie from 35 feet by Reed at the last saw him set the clubhouse target at 18 under, while McIlroy elected to lay-up at the par-five 18th after going inches away from finding water off the tee.
McIlroy pitched onto the green with his third shot – having found the water on the 72nd hole in last year’s tournament – before rolling in from 15 feet for a winning birdie to claim a maiden Rolex Series title.
Lucas Herbert carded a six-under 66 to finish in third spot ahead of Callum Shinkwin, while Ian Poulter was in contention for most of the final day until a final-hole double-bogey saw him end the week on 13 under.
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