Watch the final birdie putt in Dubai that won the tournament. A 15th DP World Tour victory.
That’s all from me, full report to come!
Rory McIlroy: “It was a battle all day, or this week in general, but I played really smart. I was in two minds at the last, I probably could have went for the green, but gave myself a wedge and an opportunity. I managed my game well, lots of room for improvements, but I’m delighted.
“Mentally today, it would have been easy to let your emotions get in the way.
“This is probably sweeter than it should be or needs to be. A really good foundation for the year.”
A third title in Dubai for McIlroy, as he’s all smiles, showed great maturity to not take on the risky second shot like last year, wedge and putt for a final birdie. Final round 68. Extra sweet when he beat Reed after the week that was in it!
McIlroy’s wedge is to 15 feet. Down the hill, to win the Dubai Desert Classic. Reed watches on from the clubhouse.
His putt... is holed! Rory McIlroy wins the Dubai Desert Classic!
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -19 (F)
Reed -18 (F)
Birdie for Reed! In the house at 18 under. A final round 65, one of his best.
All eyes on McIlroy. 321 yard drive. 196 yards left from the fringe beside the water. McIlroy lays up short of the water. Up and down for the title. Par for a playoff.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -18 (17)
Reed -18 (F)
Herbert -16 (F)
Reed’s putt at the last goes down the slope... and it’s dead weight to the right. That will be a birdie though. Pressure on McIlroy.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -18 (17)
Reed -17 (17)
Herbert -16 (F)
Ohhh, McIlroy shouts sit as his drive drifts right towards the water... but it’s just short of the water. A couple of feet away. Nerves. Could be difficult to go for the green in two from there.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -18 (17)
Reed -17 (17)
Herbert -16 (F)
A double bogey for Poulter at the last. Shows what can go wrong at the tricky finishing hole, falls to tied sixth. Reed has 231 wood, a wood in hand. Into the wind. His shot is dead straight over the top of the flagstick and holds the back of the green. Long eagle putt coming up.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -18 (17)
Reed -17 (17)
Herbert -16 (F)
Birdie for McIlroy! Putt right in the middle to a big cheer from the crowd. He goes back in front with a hole left. A chance to banish the demons of last year at 18.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -18 (17)
Reed -17 (17)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Good lag putt by McIlroy from distance. Three or four feet left for birdie, to take a one-shot advantage to the last.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (17)
McIlroy -17 (16)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Reed’s drive at 18 is a great one, faded in off the rough and into the fairway. He’ll be going for that in two you’d wager. Poulter puts it in the water on 18. That will be costly for world ranking and Ryder Cup points.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (17)
McIlroy -17 (16)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Good drive by Rory on the 17th. Doesn’t quite make the green in one, but just short on the fairway. A good chance to get up-and-down for birdie.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (17)
McIlroy -17 (16)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Not Reed’s best chip, work to do for par on 17. McIlroy waits on the tee. A birdie on this short par 4 could be crucial given Rory’s mixed history on the par 5 18th - he bogeyed it yesterday hitting the water, and hit the water when in contention on the final day last year.
Reed makes the putt. Important par in the end.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (17)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Decent putt by McIlroy on 16, but slips by and it’s a par. Reed’s drive on 17 was in the weeds, no way to stop the ball on the green. It’s gone over the green. Needs to chip in for birdie.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (16)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
McIlroy with 143 yards to the pin, nine iron on 16. It’s not bad, it’s a bit short but a birdie chance to come. Reed’s bogey has given the slight advantage back to the Northern Irishman. On 17th, the short par 4, Reed goes right, into the sand, not far from the green.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (16)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Bogey for Reed! He pulls his putt to the left, can’t escape with a par on 16.
Poulter chips in from off the green on 17, big week for the LIV Englishman. Similarly for Herbert, who birdies the last to post 16 under, only one behind now.
Leaderboard:
Reed -17 (16)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -16 (F)
Poulter -15 (17)
Reed can only pitch out to the fairway from the trees. Some 133 yards left for his third shot on the par 4. Superb wedge though to close, just over five feet. Could still make his par here. Nice fade off the tee by McIlroy on the 16th, on the fairway. Needs a birdie.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (15)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (16)
Brun -14 (17)
Bogey for McIlroy! Costly moment in the final round as he fails to get up-and-down from off the green. His putt just misses to the right. He falls behind Reed.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (15)
McIlroy -17 (15)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (16)
Brun -14 (17)
Oh dear, bad lie for McIlroy and he can’t get any spin on the ball. His chip goes over the green. He’ll have to hole a putt from off the green for par. Reed is in deep rough at 16 with no apparent shot, blocked by trees. He’ll have to pitch out it seems.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (15)
McIlroy -18 (14)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (16)
Brun -14 (17)
Reed pulls his drive on the 16th into the trees. Not sure what lie he will get there. Herbert takes on the green at the 18th in two, bounces off the grandstand.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (15)
McIlroy -18 (14)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (16)
Brun -14 (17)
Birdie putt for Reed as McIlroy watches on from the tee. It goes left and stays left though, he’s disappointed with that one. It’s a par. McIlroy’s playing partner Shinkwin stitches one close from 198 yards. McIlroy can’t follow suit though. It’s short and left. Back in the rough again. French player Julien Brun moves to 14 under.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (15)
McIlroy -18 (14)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (15)
Brun -14 (17)
Fine iron shot at the par 3 15th by Reed, he has a decent birdie chance again. McIlroy safely gets his par on 14.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (14)
McIlroy -18 (14)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (15)
McIlroy is in the bunker. Not a bad lie really. Super shot by McIlroy from the sand. Wide open face, gets it soft with spin. Should be par saved.
High quality golf today. Earlier, an example of Reed’s brilliant bunker game.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (14)
McIlroy -18 (13)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (15)
Reed makes his par, rock solid with the flat stick today. Four holes left for the LIV golfer. McIlroy’s got 186 to the pin. Oh dear, pulled badly into the bank or bunker, it’s not clear. Work to do to save par.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (13)
McIlroy -18 (13)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (14)
McIlroy’s drive at the 14th with a fairway wood just narrowly stays in the fairway. He wasn’t too happy with it, but it’s fine. Reed’s chip isn’t amazing, he has to make a four-footer for par on 14. A tense finish ahead, with the city of Dubai the backdrop.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (13)
McIlroy -18 (13)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (14)
McIlroy’s eagle putt just goes left, never threatened the hole but good effort for a tap-in birdie. Back to even at the top. Herbert birdies to go into solo third on -15. Reed has a tough lie on the 14th, heavy rough from 180 yards. He can’t hold the green but not bad, just over it and should get up and down the way he’s playing today.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (13)
McIlroy -18 (13)
Herbert -15 (17)
Poulter -14 (14)
Reed with another superb chip, he’s been magic around the greens. To gimme range. He will take the lead, at least briefly, putting the pressure on McIlroy’s second into 13. He’s seven under for the day, on fire. Some 225 yards left for McIlroy for his second after that huge drive of 334 yards. His iron is straight and well hit, to 20 feet up the hill. Eagle chance to go back ahead. Reed’s drive on the 14th is in the right rough.
Leaderboard:
Reed -18 (13)
McIlroy -17 (12)
Poulter -14 (14)
Herbert -14 (16)
After a long wait, Reed pulls his iron second shot into the par 5 13th, on a mound right of the green. Tough chip ahead. McIlroy’s tee shot at the same hole tries to cut the corner... and succeeds. Massive drive and in perfect position to attack in two.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (12)
Reed -17 (12)
Poulter -14 (13)
Herbert -14 (16)
Reed’s drive on the 13th goes down the right, but looks like there might be a gap to the green on the par 5. Brilliant pitch by McIlroy to within two feet, saves his par on 12.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (11)
Reed -17 (12)
Poulter -14 (14)
Herbert -14 (15)
Only 292 yards McIlroy’s drive, which was a slight mishit. Oh dear, the bad hole continues as he hits his iron well right into the heavy rough. Wrong side of the hole there, tough up-and-down ahead.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (11)
Reed -17 (12)
Poulter -14 (13)
Herbert -14 (14)
Poor drive by McIlroy on 12 as he lets go of the club, but bounces off the rough into the fairway. Got away with that one. Reed’s chip in is decent, he has work to do make his par though. He makes it nevertheless, looking very sharp on the greens today.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (11)
Reed -17 (12)
Poulter -14 (13)
Herbert -14 (14)
Oh hard luck. A lip out for McIlroy’s birdie putt on the 11th. Five LIV golfers in the top 10 at the moment as they fight for world ranking points before the ruling on their continued play on the DP World Tour. Reed finds a gap in the trees but his shot goes just short of the green.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (10)
Reed -17 (11)
Poulter -14 (12)
Herbert -14 (13)
McIlroy’s shot at the 11th is on the green, about 15 to 20 feet away. He’s slightly frustrated with that one. Reed pulls his drive badly into the sand on the 12th, will need a bit of luck in the trees. Yesterday there was some controversy surrounding him (when isn’t there) with an incident with a tree.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (10)
Reed -17 (11)
Poulter -14 (11)
Herbert -14 (13)
Some 58 feet for McIlroy for eagle at the 10th. Great lag putt to within two feet. He makes his birdie to go to -17. Reed’s putt goes in. Another birdie! That’s six under on the day after only 11 holes. Another fist bump.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -17 (10)
Reed -17 (11)
Poulter -14 (11)
Herbert -14 (13)
Good shot from McIlroy from the rough at the par 5, to the back left of the green in two. Tricky two-putt ahead but a chance for birdie to go back ahead of Reed. On the 11th, Reed hits from 170 yards to close again! Seven to eight feet coming up for another birdie. He’s in inspired form today the American. Herbert makes birdie at the 13th.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -16 (9)
Reed -16 (10)
Poulter -14 (11)
Herbert -14 (13)
McIlroy’s drive on the 10th is in the right fringe rough. Poulter hits the green on the par 3 11th, a medium-length birdie putt coming up, which he misses. Reed makes the eagle! He ties the lead with McIlroy. What a back nine finish we have in store.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -16 (9)
Reed -16 (10)
Poulter -14 (11)
Herbert -13 (12)
Poulter has moved to -14 with a birdie at 10. Reed has hit a stunning wood into the 10th green, landing softly on the fringe and rolling up to the hole. He almost holed it for an albatross! A near-certain eagle putt coming up to put the pressure on McIlroy.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -16 (9)
Reed -14 (9)
Poulter -14 (10)
Herbert -13 (12)
McIlroy makes the birdie! Straight in the middle from around 10 feet. That’s his first birdie of the day and much needed. He’s up to -16, two ahead of Reed.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -16 (9)
Reed -14 (9)
Herbert -13 (12)
Poulter -13 (9)
McIlroy’s drive went 320 yards at the ninth. Just under 170 yards left to the hole, water menacingly on the left side and short. McIlroy sticks it to within 10 feet. Great iron shot and good opportunity coming up. Lucas Herbert drops a shot at the 12th, he’s back to -13. Reed’s drive on the 10th is a good one, straight down the fairway.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -15 (8)
Reed -14 (9)
Herbert -13 (12)
Poulter -13 (9)
Good drive by McIlroy on the 9th hole, well down the fairway, right in the centre. He hasn’t had a round without birdie or better on the front nine was the US Open last summer. He has one hole left to extend that record.
Reed overhits his putt from off the green by 10 feet at the ninth. But he holes the putt, fist bumping in the air, to keep his card bogey-free. Out in 32 strokes, one behind Rory.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -15 (8)
Reed -14 (9)
Herbert -14 (11)
Poulter -13 (9)
McIlroy’s birdie putt on the eighth hole from about 15 feet rolls just short. That’s eight pars in a row to start. Poulter rounds off his front 9 with a par. He’s -13. Reed hits his iron from the rough on the ninth to just short and right of the green. Australian Herbert chips in for his third birdie of the day. He’s only one behind now.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -15 (8)
Reed -14 (8)
Herbert -14 (11)
Poulter -13 (9)
For context, earlier this week, McIlroy showed no intention to offer any olive branch nor to kiss and make up with American Patrick Reed – who allegedly threw a tee in his direction when blanked on the driving range last Monday, Reed has become something of the cartoon villain since his defection to LIV Golf with a propensity to issue lawsuits ... one of which arrived McIlroy’s way on Christmas Eve no less.
“I was subpoenaed by his lawyer on Christmas Eve. So of course, trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you’re not going to take that well. I’m living in reality. I don’t know where he’s living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake.”
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the closing stages of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Club. Rory McIlroy went into today’s weather-delayed final round three shots ahead, but the gap has narrowed to one, with Patrick Reed three under for the day with three birdies, including a holed bunker shot at the sixth hole. Ian Poulter is another who has made a move on Monday, up to -13, just two behind.
McIlroy has started the day with a grinding seven pars, lucky to avoid the water on the fourth hole and a few good up-and-downs. He’s currently on the eighth hole, where he has one of his first good birdie chances of the day after a fine iron shot.
Leaderboard:
McIlroy -15
Reed -14
Poulter -13
Herbert -12
