The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Mcilroy frustrated by squandering lead
GOLF: China’s Li Haotong wins Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Rory Mcilroy made no attempt to hide his frustration after squandering a twoshot lead with eight holes to play as China’s Li Haotong claimed the biggest win of his career in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Mcilroy overturned a one-shot overnight deficit with the aid of three birdies in the first 10 holes at Emirates Golf Club, but bogeyed the 11th and 16th as well as three-putting the par-five 13th for par.
And although the four-time major winner birdied the final two holes, Li did likewise under enormous pressure to complete a closing 69 and win by a single shot.
Li’s 23-under-par total has set a tournament record and gives the 22-year-old a second European Tour title, as well making him the first male Chinese player to break into the world’s top 50.
A final round of 64 left Scotland’s Richie Ramsay tied for sixth on 16 under.
Scott Jamieson closed with a 71 to finish nine under, while Stephen Gallacher also shot a 71, and finished seven under.
Connor Syme failed to make the halfway cut after two rounds of 70.
Li will make his Masters debut in April and can become the third straight Dubai champion, after Danny Willett and Sergio Garcia, to claim a green jacket.
Mcilroy needs to win at Augusta National to complete a career Grand Slam.
Mcilroy has now finished third and second in his two starts since calling an early end to an injury-plagued and winless 2017 campaign, but will be disappointed at failing to convert a twoshot lead at halfway.
Asked his reaction at missing out on a first win since September 2016, Mcilroy told European Tour Radio: “It was a couple of bad shots, a couple of poor decisions, a couple of mental errors, a few tentative putts out there, as well.
“I kept leaving myself in places where I couldn’t really give it a run at the hole because they were downhill, down grain, downwind.
“But I tried until the very end. Made two good birdies. Made him win it in the end, which was all I could do, and he played very well on the way in, birdieing three of the last four. I just wish I could get a couple of those holes back.
“If someone had told me at the start of the year ‘you’d finish third and second your first two events’, I’d say, ‘yeah, I’d take that’.
“But being in the positions I’ve been in and having two close calls, it’s a little difficult.
“The competitor in me is very disappointed right now. I wanted to win. I always want to win, and I just didn’t do enough when I needed to.”
Li, who birdied four of the last six holes, said: “It’s incredible, I’m so happy. Over the last four holes I hit some of the best shots of my life.”