Rory’s on fire as he dazzles in the desert
IN 36 holes he has had no bogeys, seven birdies and, as the evening shadows enveloped the 18th green, he holed a 20ft putt for an eagle three that sent a crowd of expats into rapture at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
It is fair to say Rory McIlroy is back after an injury-troubled 2017. What an exhibition he and Dustin Johnson put on yesterday, a joint display in the desert so dazzling it was tempting to wonder whether we were witnessing an exciting prelude for the season to come.
Forget the scorecards, impressive as they were, as they showed world No 1 Johnson shooting 64 and McIlroy almost matching him with a 66, in just his second competitive round after 102 days out. Golf’s two most gifted players showed such quality that it is no exaggeration to say both could easily have been three or four strokes better. Neither holed a putt longer than 8ft until the last two holes and both missed several inside that mark.
Even so, if this had been a fourball competition they would have shot 59. Not too shabby.
We should not forget the third member of the group, Tommy Fleetwood. On his 27th birthday, the unassuming Englishman did not have his best stuff but showed exactly why he won the Race to Dubai last year with a 68.
His 10-under par total leaves him a stroke ahead of McIlroy and two off the lead held by the Belgian Thomas Pieters. Johnson is four adrift, eight under.
‘What a way to celebrate my birthday,’ said Fleetwood. ‘As long as I’m a pro I won’t play alongside two better players in a threeball than DJ and Rory. I’m a golf fan as well as a player and it was a joy to watch them.’
McIlroy presented Tommy with a birthday cake as the latter conducted his post-round interviews. The Northern Irishman’s face was free of tension and one could see what it meant to him that the first two rounds of his comeback had gone so smoothly.
‘DJ and I were feeding off one another. It was a confidence boost to keep up with him from the tee,’ said McIlroy, 28. ‘It proved I’m back to full fitness. When I went away I knew my wedge game wasn’t good enough, but here it was right where it needs to be, as was the rest of my iron play.
‘I had so many good looks for birdies, and it was nice to see that eagle putt drop.
‘I’m really pleased with having no bogeys, as well. I couldn’t tell you the last time that happened over two rounds — and I’m still bogey-free in 2018!’
Johnson was equally pleased after a round that has given him a chance of making it two wins from two appearances this year. ‘It was a pretty easy 64, I felt,’ said the 33-year-old American. ‘I struck it really well and had so many great looks for birdies.’
Ross Fisher shot 67 to stand alongside Fleetwood, with Paul Casey, in his first tournament back as a European Tour member, on the same mark as McIlroy. Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston and last week’s winner Chris Paisley are part of the group on eight under.
Two shots further behind is leading Scot Richie Ramsay after his round of 70, while compatriot Stephen Gallacher finished with a 72 to lie four under.