Rory McIlroy had serious ambitions at this year's Dubai Invitational. The Northern Irish golfer came close to victory but ultimately failed to make up the deficit, finishing the tournament two shots behind Nacho Elvira.
McIlroy once again showed that he is still a serious threat to his rivals and that he is still extremely motivated to play at the highest level.
After the tournament, the 36-year-old pointed out that he needs to hit more fairways and that in the coming weeks he will try to change his strategy to give himself a better chance of winning.
He entered this tournament with a new set of clubs, which is why many were not surprised that he was not at his best.
“I need to hit a few more fairways,” McIlroy said.
“I don’t feel like I’m swinging the club that badly. It’s just maybe some strategy off the tee.
I was hitting the driver a lot this week, more for practice than anything else. Next week at the Emirates, it is obviously important to get the ball in the fairway and give yourself chances from there.
I think that was maybe a little bit of distance control, but I felt like I was figuring that out as the week went on. My short game and putting felt good, which is a really good sign.
I just need to tidy up the ball-striking a little bit, and hopefully I’ll be right there next week.”
The Dubai Desert Classic
The Dubai Desert Classic will be his next challenge, and McIlroy has excelled at this tournament before, winning in 2023 and 2024.
It will be a real test of his qualities, given the strong competition, and he will have to give his best if he wants to achieve another victory.
The season has just begun, but we can already sense that an exciting year filled with adrenaline awaits us.
