Dubai Desert Classic Day 2: Can McIlroy and Fleetwood mount a comeback?

The tournament boasts a star-studded lineup, with Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Shane Lowry among those competing. Despite this, it was Italian Francesco Molinari who grabbed the headlines as he topped the leaderboard on day 1.

Molinari was precise of the tee and around the greens in challenging conditions with the wind testing the players on the opening day.

Day 1 produced some surprising numbers that make Friday's action especially intriguing.

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood both struggled to get under par in Round 1, each carding a 1-over-par, a solid but less than ideal start for two of the tournament’s biggest names, leaving them several shots off the early pace.

Shane Lowry and defending champion, Tyrell Hatton on the other hand, made a much stronger start both scoring 2-under-par, putting themselves in far better position to challenge after Friday's second round.

For McIlroy, the key thing to correct from Thursday was course management and error avoidance. His round was derailed by a double bogey at the 18th when his wedge pitched forward and rolled back into the water, a costly mistake that left him well off the pace.

Today he’ll want to prioritise hitting fairways and greens more consistently, avoid big numbers, and stay patient with his short game.

Fleetwood will be focused on sharpening his wedge play and converting more birdie chances.

Like McIlroy, he dropped shots late in Round 1, including at 18, and part of his Friday strategy will be to balance aggression with precision.

McIlroy, Fleetwood and Hatton are scheduled to tee off today at (12.25 GMT)

For further information on scoring and tee times, visit the DP World Tour website.