The first round of the DP World Tour Dubai Invitational saw Rory McIlroy take the lead while German players face challenges.
Spectacular Start at the DP World Tour Dubai Creek Resort
The Dubai Invitational at the Dubai Creek Resort kicked off the International Swing on the DP World Tour. The field is very close after round one, with the top 20 all under par.
Leading the way, Rory McIlroy made a statement with six birdies in his first nine holes and just one bogey on the 12th hole, setting a foundation for his -5 round. His precise attacks on the flag left him with only a few putts. McIlroy remained steady on the back nine and expressed satisfaction: \”It was a good start, I had good front nine holes, then the wind came. Overall, I played good nine holes.\”
Chasing McIlroy are Scotland’s Connor Syme and Spain’s David Puig, each at -4 with five birdies and one bogey after day one.
Shane Lowry, playing alongside McIlroy, also started strong at -3 after four holes and ended with -2 after some late bogeys.
Matt Wallace held the lead for some time. After a bogey start, he responded with a birdie and an eagle chip-in on hole 4. He recorded five more birdies before a bogey on 12 slowed him down. Despite reaching -6 briefly, a double bogey on 16 and another bogey on 18 resulted in a -3 finish.
Mixed Start for German Players
Marcel Siem had a solid front nine with seven pars, a birdie on hole 5, and a bogey on 7. He started well on the back nine with birdies on 10 and 13 but ended with three bogeys including two on tough bunker holes, finishing at +1 in the middle of the pack.
Nicolai von Dellingshausen started promisingly with a birdie and an eagle chance but suffered a double bogey on the difficult 11th hole after hitting into water. Further struggles around the greens led to a +4 round.
Title Defense Faces Early Challenges
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood had a solid start but also faced a water hazard on the 2nd hole, causing a double bogey. Despite a couple of bogeys, five birdies including two on the last holes brought him to -2, keeping him in contention.
First Round Marked by Moment of Silence
The round was overshadowed by a moment of silence for Italian junior golf star Emanuele Galeppini, who tragically died in a New Year’s Eve fire disaster in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Shortly before 10:30 am, all players paused across the course to honor the tragedy.
This week’s Dubai Invitational is being played in remembrance of promising young golfer Emanuele Galeppini, and in memory of the 40 people who tragically lost their lives in Crans Montana on New Year