In association with Cybergolf

McIlroy leads with five others on a windy day in Dubai

Thursday, February 4, 2010 2:37 pm (Eastern)

By SAL JOHNSON
Publisher, GOLFOBSERVER
E-mail me at: Golfersal@aol.com

It was a testing first day at the Emirates Golf Club but McIlroy started the defence of his only career title with a promising four under 68 to finish alongside January’s European Tour Golfer of the Month Charl Schwartzel, Alexander Noren, Jeev Milkha Singh, Edoardo Molinari and Stephen Dodd.

Last year Rory McIlroy opened up with a 64 and led all the way to win his first and only European Tour event. On Thursday McIlroy showed some of the same magic as he shot 68 on a tough day in which high winds wipped sand around making visibility tough at times.

Photo: © Andrew Redington/Getty Images Rory McIlroy is a co-leader and has led for five straight rounds in Dubai

With the 68 McIlroy got a share of the lead with Charl Schwartzel, already a two-time winner this season on the European Tour, Stephen Dodd, Alexander Noren, Jeev Milkha Singh and Edoardo Molinari.

For McIlroy he got off to a slow start playing his front nine in even par. He started the back with a birdie at 10 and 12, then ended things with birdies at 17 and 18. He hit only 7 of 14 fairways, 13 greens and took 28 putts. Now the round of the day could of been shot by Jeev Milkha Singh, when you consider what he has gone through. Last Friday in Chandigarh, India, Singh's wife Kudrat gave birth to a baby son. After playing in Abu Dhabi, Singh flew back to India for the birth of the child and then returned to Dubai to play this week.

The couple went through an emotional crisis in 2008 when Kudrat delivered a stillborn baby in Japan but still asked a shattered Jeev to go ahead with a tournament and the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega which Singh won just five days after the mishap. For his round, Singh made five birdies and one bogey as he hit 9 of 14 fairways, 12 greens and took only 26 putts. The highlight for Singh was making four birdies in a row starting at the 9th hole.

Photo: © Andrew Redington/Getty Images Jeev Milkha Singh was in India on Friday for the birth of his son, 6 days later co-leads in Dubai.

Another great round was shot by Charl Schwartzel. Already a double winner in South Africa last month, Schwartzel had a bogey-free round in which he hit 10 fairways and 15 greens, taking 20 putts. After playing in five events this season, he hasn't finished worst than 26th and started the year with a runner-up finish at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He has played 21 rounds for the year and only been over par twice as he is 72 under par.

Also shooting 68 was Stephen Dodd, who had six birdies and two bogeys, Edoardo Molinari, who had five birdies and a bogey and Alexander Noren who also had five birdies and a bogey.

One shot back is Paul Casey, Alvaro Quiros, Richard Green, Anders Hansen and amateur Matteo Manassero.

Some other scores saw last week's Qatar Masters winner Robert Karlsson birdied three of the last four holes for a two-under 70 and a share of 12th. Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie shot 71 and is tied with Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer. European number one player Lee Westwood, playing with a new driver had a rollar-coaster round of 72 with four birdies and four bogeys. 60-year-old Tom Watson got off to a slow start playing his first seven holes in 2 over and shot 73.

The woes continue for former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell, who has hinted at possibly retiring from golf. On Thursday, he shot a nine- over 81, hasn't broken par since the first round of the Castello Masters in October, 8 worldwide events ago

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