Dubai Desert Classic

The world number one birdied the final two holes to shoot a four-under 68 and finish on 19 under to win by one shot. Northern Irishman McIlroy ...

It's a great start to the year." That led to a scruffy double-bogey finish and 13 under overall. He then hit a solid wedge shot in and let out a tremendous roar after holing the birdie putt. However, up ahead Reed had problems after a wayward drive on the par-four 16th. It set the tone for the week with fans keen to see McIlroy and Reed paired together at some point. "Mentally it was very tough," McIlroy told BBC Sport, referring to his rivalry with Reed.

Rory McIlroy held off a dramatic final-day surge from Patrick Reed to win the Dubai Desert Classic for the third time on Monday.

The most satisfying thing is I haven’t had my best, far from it, and to be able to win when you don’t have your best, that’s the holy grail of what we are trying to do.” Somehow the fractured world of golf felt much a better place. I expended a lot of mental energy trying to focus on myself and focus on shooting a score and trying to reach a number.” Reed’s first dropped stroke of the day, at 16, restored parity before McIlroy landed what looked the major blow with a birdie at the penultimate hole. Last year, the 72nd hole of the Desert Classic cost McIlroy victory. “He looked through it and he identified it exactly the same way I did.” “I’ve looked through the binoculars, identified any golf ball and I explained what my markings were to the rules official” said the 2018 Masters champion. [correctly identified his ball in the branches of a palm tree](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jan/29/dp-world-tour-clarifies-rules-after-patrick-reed-penalty-drop-controversy) during round three. I’ve stood and defended Patrick in some of the controversies.” I want to win for my legacy and leaving my mark on the game. When McIlroy’s role as the unofficial voice of golf’s establishment against the rebel LIV tour, of which Reed is a part, is factored in it became easy to sense this meant more than a trophy. From Teegate to Treegate to a denouement that was well worth the wait.

The world number one described it as “one of the toughest rounds” of his career.

He found a bush off the next tee, though managed par and then two-putted for birdie at the last to leave both men level at 18-under with McIlroy, with a birdie on 17, still to play the last hole. “Mentally, today, was probably one of the toughest rounds I’ve ever had to play because it would be really easy to let your emotions to get in the way. By that point, the Reed had stuttered for the first time in the round, dropping a shot on 16th and scrabbling to make par at the next hole. He left himself a 15ft birdie putt for the win with his third, it dropped in and 2023 begins much as he ended a dominant 2022. By that point, he knew McIlroy needed to make an error to give him a realistic shot at the win. The backdrop to it all began with a subpoena delivered to McIlroy’s door on Christmas Eve by Reed’s lawyer.

Rory McIlroy held off a brilliant challenge from Patrick Reed to win the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a third time in dramatic circumstances.

The tap-in eagle took Reed into a share of the lead and, although McIlroy two-putted the same hole for birdie, Reed also birdied the 11th to get back on level terms. “It was a battle all day, it’s been a battle all week. “It means a lot,” McIlroy said.