No Line on the Horizon - McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy is hoping for a swift court case between himself and Horizon Sports Management so that he can get back to doing what his does best on the golf course.

McIlroy took action against his former employers, claiming he is entitled to repudiate a December 2011 agreement with the three companies, on grounds that it was improvident.

Horizon Sport Management Ltd, Gurteen Ltd and Canovan Management Services deny his claims and have counter-claimed for damages.

"I want to put in a good performance this week, try to win and then turn my attention to the court case - hopefully it won't take too long and we can get it over and done with," said McIlroy ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.

"It's not something you want hanging over your head and it's not something I'd want anyone to go through, it's not a nice process.

"It's a shame it's gone this far and that two sides see things completely differently. The only way to sort it out is to get a judger to come in and tell us what to do."

McIlroy is fully focuses on the week's action however.

"I am disappointed if I don't win, to be honest," he added. "You're not here to try to finish in the top five.

"I'd definitely like to break the runners-up duck the right way than the wrong way. We'll see. But I'm comfortable on this golf course, and I have good memories here, and I seem to play the course very well."

McIlroy was runner-up in the World Tour Championship in November, the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, and the Abu Dhabi Championship two weeks ago in his first start of the year.

To finish the tour's desert swing a winner again, he will have to beat the likes of world No. 2 Henrik Stenson, No. 5 Sergio Garcia, No. 12 Martin Kaymer, and two-time defending champion Stephen Gallacher, who is a remarkable 55-under par in his last three tournaments on the Majlis course at Emirates.

Then he has a date in a Dublin court next week, as his legal battle with Horizon Sports, his former management company, inches toward a final judgement.

McIlroy said he was trying not to think of the court case until after the tournament.

"To be honest, I've been concentrating on my golf and practice, and that stuff is much more important to me than what's going to happen next week," he said.

"I will be relieved when this (case) is over. It's not something that I would want anyone to go through. I'm going to be heading to the States regardless, with it off my mind and not having to deal with it or think about it anymore."

The classic also marks the first start of the year for Europe Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell. Ernie Els, a three-time classic winner, and holder of the course record of 11-under par 61, is also entered.

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Jimenez and Clarke Contest Captaincy

 

The Ryder Cup against the USA in two years will be either Darren Clarke or Miguel Angel Jimenez, reports now indicate.

Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia both believe it will be a straight fight between the Northern Irishman and the Spaniard over who replaces 2014 skipper Paul McGinley.

“Most likely we’re going to see a race between Darren and Miguel,” Stenson said ahead of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic.

“That’s the beauty of being part of the Tournament Players Committee that no longer votes for it. I don’t have to put any thought into it, I just have to wait like everybody else until the result comes out.”

The captain used to be decided by the players but it is now down to a five-man panel that includes former skippers McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie.

“They have got enough experience between them to come up with a good decision,” said Stenson who has played in the biennial team event three times.

“I believe they haven’t met yet. They haven’t managed to get that meeting together so I don’t know when it’s scheduled to happen.”

Asked if Clarke or Jimenez would be the next captain, Garcia replied: “It looks like that.

“I think those are the two big candidates and I think we are all excited to see how it turns out,” added Garcia who has made seven Ryder Cup appearances.

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Lawrie Enjoys Grace in Doha

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Peter Lawrie is the leading Irish man at the Qatar Masters after a second-round score of 68. Lawrie now sits joint-fourth on the leaderboard just three shots of current leadersGeorge Coetzee, Bernd Wiesberger and Branden Grace.

Lawrie, playing in Doha on a sponsor’s invitation after just missing out on his card at qualifying school, opened with a confident opening round of 70 on Wednesday and replicated yesterday’s birdies on the first and 18th holes on Thursday, while he also struck on the fourth, seventh, ninth and tenth.

Bogeys on the fifth and 15th the only blotches on his card for the day. Michael Hoey is next best of the Irish on three under while Damien McGrane shot a level par round of 72 and is currently five shots off the lead.

Coetzee, Wiesberger and Grace may share the lead at the halfway stage but Marc Warren was the biggest mover. Coetzee improved on his opening-day 68 by a single stroke after mixing six birdies with a bogey in Doha while Wiesberger joined him on nine-under with a round of 66.

The Austrian - seeking his first European Tour win since 2012 - holed back-to-back birdies across four holes on the back nine to finish strongly and Grace’s measured four-under 68 steered him into a three-way tie for first place by Thursday evening. All one stroke behind the leading trio are Emiliano Grillo, An Byeong-hun and Scotland’s Warren, whose emphatic 65 lifted him from the mid-50s and right into trophy contention.

The highlight of the 33-year-old’s round was an eagle on the par-five first hole with only bogeys on three and 17 sullying the effect of seven more birdies around the Doha Golf Club course. Overnight leader Oliver Fisher of England slipped to 10th after following up his Wednesday score of 65 with a one-over-par 73 that included three bogeys and two birdies.

Also in the mix were Darren Fichardt, Richard Green and Alejandro Canizares but defending champion Sergio Garcia was struggling to break through after signing for a second consecutive 69. Justin Rose could only follow his opening-day score of 68 with a 73 after carding four bogeys across five holes on the back nine.

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McIlroy Commits to Desert Classic

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Rory McIlroy has confirmed that he has committed to play in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at the end of the month.

The world No 1 will make his first start of 2015 at this week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, but there were doubts over whether he would feature in the last of the three Desert Swing events due to his impending court case involving his former management company.

But McIlroy has announced he will make his ninth appearance at The Emirates, where he held off Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson to capture his first title as a professional in 2009.

The four-time major winner will headline another star-studded field which includes his Ryder Cup team-mates Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher, who became the first player to successfully defend the title last season.

“I’ve got great memories of Dubai and it will be fun to get back to a golf course where I have enjoyed success over the years,” the 25-year-old told the European Tour.

“It was nice to get my first professional win in Dubai. I had my parents there with me and it was a special moment that I will never forget. That win was a real stepping stone for the success that followed and my relationship with Dubai went from strength-to-strength.

“To think the tournament is older than I am is testimony to its strength. They have an outstanding field all the time, and the golf course is really in great shape. Obviously, I will be looking to win the event again."

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, added: "We are delighted to welcome back a stand-out player in a field which exudes the energy of a major with all those big names battling for glory in Dubai.

“We have seen him first compete as an amateur in 2006 and now we will see him tee up as the world number one for the first time. His incredible journey has left indelible footprints in the tournament’s history.

“As his name has become synonymous with the golfing landscape of Dubai, I am confident his presence will radiate distinct energy to the tournament, one that will rub off on fans. I wish him the very best and hope that the future brings him more success.”

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Rory Stals as Kaymer Collapses

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 Rory McIlroy finished second at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday ending just one stroke off the winner after carding a round of 66.

It was Gary Stal who took advantage of an astonishing meltdown from Martin Kaymer to claim his maiden professional victory after an enthralling final round at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

There was no indication of the incredible drama to come when Kaymer, who led by six shots overnight, birdied three of the first four holes to extend his advantage to 10 strokes over the field.

But the expected procession to victory for the German unravelled in spectacular fashion as he double-bogeyed the ninth and ran up a triple-bogey seven at the 13th to gift the lead to the unheralded Frenchman.

Stal had piled the pressure on the German with a sparkling run of six birdies in eight holes, and he held his nerve down the stretch to close out a flawless seven-under 65 - the joint-low round of the day - and earn a thrilling one-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy.

The world No 1 finally found some form on the greens as he carded a seven-birdie 66 to finish on eight under, but he came up a shot behind the winner for the third time after his splash-out for eagle at the last shaved the edge of the cup.

His resulting birdie meant Stal needed only a par at the last to clinch the title, and the 22-year-old calmly played the par-five as a three-shot hole and two-putted from the fringe to collect the lucrative first prize of 380,000 euros.

Kaymer looked understandably downcast as he limped in with a three-over 75 to finish third, two behind the champion, while Victor Dubuisson and Thomas Pieters were one stroke further adrift.

After the three-time champion had got off to a flying start, Stal appeared to be winning the race for second when he picked up shots at the fourth and sixth before reeling off four consecutive birdies around the turn.

Kaymer’s bogey at the sixth – his first dropped shot since the 12th hole in the first round - looked to be only a temporary blip, but the German was forced to take a penalty drop at the ninth after driving into the scrub and he was unable to stave off a double-bogey six.

Worse was to follow for the reigning US Open champion at the 13th, where another errant drive and three putts added up to a seven which saw him relinquish his lead to Stal, who then went two clear when he drained a 25-foot putt for birdie at the 16th.

Meanwhile, McIlroy had ignited a belated challenge with three consecutive birdies from the eighth, and he suddenly found himself within a shot of the lead when he also converted fine approaches to the 13th and 15th holes.

But further birdie attempts at 16 and 17 had slightly too much pace to take the break, and he was unable to find the eagle he required at the last to have a chance to force a play-off after he blocked his aggressive second shot.

Stal was a model of assurance as he made a cast-iron par at the difficult 17th and avoided trouble coming down the last, where he lagged to within a foot from 20 feet to leave himself the simplest of tap-ins to cap the most memorable day of his career.

Kaymer closed with five pars to claim outright third ahead of Dubuisson, who kept a bogey off his card to hand in a commendable 67, while young Belgian Thomas Pieters (70) was out of touch with his putter down the stretch as he parred the last eight holes to join Dubuisson on 16 under.

English pair James Morrison and Tyrrell Hatton both carded five-under 67s to earn a tie for sixth along with Bernd Wiesberger, while Jamie Donaldson failed to build on three straight birdies from the seventh as he parred every hole on the inward half to remain 13 under.

Stal's 65 matched the earlier efforts of former US Open champions Justin Rose and Ernie Els, who both vaulted to 12 under with flawless seven-birdie rounds.

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