Dubai: “Everything that could have gone wrong did,” said Rory McIlroy after he failed to capitalise on Stephen Gallacher’s 72 with a 74 on the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic here on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman started the final day just two strokes behind overnight leader Gallacher at 14 under par 202 (63,70,69), having led over the first two rounds. He even went level at the top of the leaderboard after Gallacher bogeyed his opening two holes, to throw the title race wide open.
However, the 24-year-old double Major winner then self-imploded and tumbled to a tied for ninth place finish, 12-under par, four strokes off the lead.
“The golf course just played a lot differently today,” said McIlroy, who had a bogey on his front nine and three bogeys and two birdies on his return.
“You can see from the scores. It was tougher because the greens were firmer. And the rare times I did get the ball close, I didn’t make any putts.
“It was just one of those days. Anything that could go wrong did. I hit a couple of loose drives, but I didn’t really get away with them. Stuff like that. I didn’t get a couple of putts to go in. I was struggling to read them today for some reason,” McIlroy added.
He was complimentary though of Gallacher’s historic title-defence. “The way he played down the stretch was very impressive,” he said. “It was good to see and I’m obviously very happy for him.”
Elsewhere, Emiliano Grillo posed a late threat to Gallacher’s back-to-back double act, rising up seven places to second in the leader board to 15 under par 273 (71,67,69,66), just a stroke behind.
An eagle on the 18th following two birdies either nine had handed the Argentine a clubhouse lead until Gallacher equaled and then pulled back in front with birdies on the 15th and 16th holes.
“I’m quite happy with what I’ve done, and it was a good run overall,” said Grillo. “I think I left some putts around there, but I think that eagle on 18 made up for the ones I missed,” he said.
France’s Romain Wattel also staged a late climb with 66 to rise 11 places up the leader board to 14 under par 274 (68,73,67,66) to finish tied for third with America’s Brooks Koepka, two strokes off the lead.
Wattel hit three birdies either nine, while Koepka, who had been a stroke behind McIlroy’s lead at 10 under par after day two, failed to score readily enough to take advantage over the last two days, stagnating at 274 (69,65,70,70).
“I’ve just got to putt better,” said the newcomer, who followed three birdies and a bogey on his front nine with a bogey and a birdie on his return.
“I had some wayward shots under pressure, but it’s fun. I’ve just got to learn from it.”
