Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy held off Englishman Justin Rose for his first tour win at the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic. This year’s Classic was the third and final leg of the tour’s Middle East swing, following the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, won by Englishman Paul Casey and the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, won by Spaniard Alvaro Quiros. With its tough home stretch, the Emirates Golf Club once again produced a dramatic finish.
The 19-year old McIlroy finished at 19 under par, one stroke ahead of Rose. He held a six stroke lead with six holes to play when Rose made his charge. “I got myself into a great position in the middle of the back nine, but then let a few shots slip and Justin birdied a couple as well, so I had to fight back. It was nice to just hold it together on the last and get a great up and down for the victory,” said the teenager.
The US$2.5 million 2009 Dubai Desert Classic ran from January 29th to February 1st on the Majlis course of the Emirates Golf Club. The 7,301 yard course is an ideal place for pros to test themselves, particularly early in the season. The tournament is part of The Race to Dubai, which will see the top 60 European players at the end of the 2009 season compete in the Dubai World Championship.
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