Rory McIlroy has shared the statistic he cannot quite believe after his opening round at the Dubai Desert Classic earlier today.
Rory McIlroy opened up with a one under par 71 at Emirates Golf Club. It was a round which promised plenty, with the Northern Irishman four under at one stage.
However, he bogeyed three of his final four holes to fall outside the top 20.
Rory McIlroy stunned by statistic at Dubai Desert Classic
It would take a brave person to bet against the 34-year-old coming back and moving into contention over the next three days.
McIlroy has previously won the event three times. He is the defending champion. And it was at this tournament where he secured his first professional win, back in 2009.
But his connection to the tournament actually goes back even further. Speaking to Sky Sports at this week’s event, McIlroy admitted that he is stunned by how long ago it was that it all started for him.
“It was the first win of my career and I first played this event as an amateur in 2006, so I have been coming here for 18 years. I can’t even believe it,” he said.
“Dubai has meant a lot to me. I got my first win here, it gave me one of my first opportunities to play on this tour. My first sponsor was from here, so I have a lot of great memories and great friends in this region. I lived here for four years as well, so a big piece of my life has been spent here and I’m always excited to get back.”
Northern Irishman showing promising signs at start of season
It is remarkable to think of how long McIlroy has been such a prominent fixture in the sport. Of course, many will remember those early days where his curly hair was escaping his cap and he boasted what appeared to be a nearly flawless swing.
It is coming up to 12 years since his first major victory, at the 2011 US Open. More worryingly for McIlroy of course, it is more than eight years since he last won a major title.
He will be desperate to end that wait this season. The very early signs suggest that he is not far away from finding some real form.
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