Rory McIlroy shares candid assessment of his form after Dubai Invitational disappointment

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Rory McIlroy came up just short of adding another DP World Tour win to his record at the Dubai Invitational this weekend.

McIlroy went into the final round three shots behind 54-hole leader Nacho Elvira, and the gap grew to six after a rough start. But a run of five straight birdies from holes nine to 13 put him right back in the mix.

Still, he closed with four pars and a bogey over the last five holes at Dubai Creek Resort, ending up two strokes behind Elvira.

Despite missing out on victory, it was an encouraging start to his season. However, the Northern Irishman is aiming for more.

Rory McIlroy outlines key areas for improvement after Dubai Invitational

McIlroy is well aware of the parts of his game that let him down during the Dubai Invitational this week.

Though his short game stood out, he struggled to find enough fairways with his driver and also had issues with distance control.

After the final round, the five-time major winner explained: “I need to hit a few more fairways. 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.”

This was McIlroy’s first event using new clubs, so it is understandable if he was not quite at his best yet.

Dame Laura Davies backs Rory McIlroy for Dubai Desert Classic

The Northern Irishman will be hoping to build on his performance at the Dubai Invitational at the Dubai Desert Classic next week.

The event at the Emirates Golf Club has been won by him on four occasions, with his victories in 2023 and 2024 being back-to-back.

Therefore, while the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, and Viktor Hovland will make up an exciting field, McIlroy will still be the favourite.

The world number two is expected to win his fifth Dubai Desert Classic title, a result that Dame Laura Davies has confessed would not surprise her.

“I think that course is built for him. He’s won there many times. If Rory doesn’t win, I’ll be very surprised,” Davies said to Sky Sports.

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