Rory McIlroy beats Patrick Reed at 2023 Dubai Desert Classic to end dramatic week on DP World Tour
It starts with a tee shot and ends with a hit. Since the start of the week, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed have been embroiled in an argument that lasted all four rounds and culminated in McIlroy’s birdie-birdie finish to win the Dubai Desert Classic for the third time. McIlroy also started the new year with the first win of his illustrious career.
Before the tournament, McIlroy ignored Reed’s approach on the training ground in Dubai, arguing that Reed’s lawyer, Larry Klayman, served a subpoena for McIlroy at his home on Christmas Eve. Reed hit the tee in the general direction of McIlroy (which is golf, which became a big story) and then mention McIlroy as an “immature child.”
Then the tournament started.
McIlroy took a solid lead in the final round in Dubai, scoring 66-70-65 in the first three innings, which looks like it will be his third win in his last seven games. Reed, who was caught up in is different Controversy in the third round on Sunday when his ball may have landed in the tree he eventually identified it (see video below for the full story), there were plans another plan on Monday in the finale.
The former Masters champion went 7 holes under 13, and McIlroy really couldn’t go through. He played the first 15 games with just under 2, a respectable number of points but not enough for the whole pitch. At number 17, however, he took a 4-foot approach to make a birdie shot, and then made a 14-footer for another birdie on the 72nd hole to win the title. tournament champion. He completed it to finish the birdie-birdie and take his 15th career DP World Tour win.
McIlroy hasn’t finished outside the top four in his last seven professional tournaments, and he’s won three of them, including the Tour Championship and the CJ Cup last year. However, this is much more personal because of the way it all started with Reed and because he was the one who pushed McIlroy to the finish line.
“Mentally, today was tough,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I can let my emotions in. I’ve spent a lot of mental energy today trying to focus on myself and focus on scoring and trying to achieve a goal. I had to work really hard to forget who was there and just try to focus on myself.”
McIlroy has lost just 10 players in his last 7 games and he has 12 top 5 finishes in 17 games since the 2022 Masters. He and Jon Rahm, who have won 4 of 7 appearances. The most recent, are the two best players in the world. The scary thing for the rest of the world is that McIlroy doesn’t even feel great about his game right now.
“I think, again, what’s most satisfying for me this week is that I didn’t reach my best, that’s a long way from getting there, and to be able to win when you’re not. At its best, it’s like the Holy Grail of what we’re trying to do,” McIlroy said. “Really happy with that aspect of it but there’s definitely a lot of room for improvement over the next few weeks.”
The win means McIlroy joins the Els with three career wins at the event, the most in history.
“Dubai has been a big part of my career and journey, and you know, to be named in this trophy for the third time today, to be joined by Ernie Els, is a pretty cool feeling.” I said.
