Flooding at the Emirates Club means the DP World Tour event will finish on a Monday for the first time in its 34-year history
The most bizarre of Dubai Desert Classics, featuring a tossed tee, verbal jousting and epic storms, will rumble into an unprecedented fifth day. Tournament organisers confirmed on Friday evening their intention to keep the event at 72 holes but conceded delays totalling almost 10 hours because of flooding at the Emirates Club has made it impossible to stick to the original schedule.
“This is one of the biggest events on the DP World Tour and we clearly want to make every effort possible to get to 72 holes,” said Mike Stewart, the tournament director. “This event is too important to curtail it to 54 holes. I think it’s really, really important. I think the vast majority of players want it to be 72 holes. That’s the message we’ve received from them. That’s what they want to do and I think it’s the right thing to do for the championship.
The delayed conclusion has scope to deliver fireworks. Rory McIlroy took just 45 minutes to race from two under to six under during the conclusion of his opening round on Friday morning. McIlroy holed out from a fairway bunker from 116 yards at the 8, for an eagle two. Ominously for the rest of the field, McIlroy believed he was well short of his best when still piecing together a round of six under par.
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