Rory McIlroy received a harsh two-shot penalty after his round at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Thursday – a move that makes the already thrilling Race to Dubai even more dramatic. According to officials, the Northern Irishman improved his lie on the par-four 12th hole, which turned his original 68 into a 70 and a double bogey into a quadruple bogey. A bitter blow, although McIlroy was still the best among the top contenders for the Race to Dubai crown despite this mishap.
Eugenio Chacarra and Rory McIlroy now share a 70, while Patrick Reed, with a 74 including a finishing double bogey, lags significantly behind. McIlroy started the week third in the standings, about 1,000 points behind Chacarra and 330 behind Reed. The winner in Abu Dhabi collects a hefty 1,500 points, and the season finale, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, promises an even 2,000 points – so the decision is still miles away.
Laporta Shakes Things Up
While the Race to Dubai contenders faltered, Francesco Laporta delivered an absolutely sensational round. A flawless 62 with an eagle and eight birdies gave him a commanding three-shot lead over Jon Rahm, Sam Bairstow, and Bernd Wiesberger, all of whom carded a strong 65.
Rory had tried to limit the damage with three birdies on his last five holes, but the penalty nullified two of those hard-earned gains. He is now tied with Chacarra and has a significant deficit to the leader Laporta. The fight for his fifth consecutive Race to Dubai title, and thus his eighth overall crown, to equal Colin Montgomerie's record, is in full swing – and is now even hotter.
