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Rory McIlroy has been on an impressive run this year, and it seems like it's set to continue this week. McIlroy is currently competing at the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and shot an impressive opening drive during the first round.
The World No. 3 comes to the penultimate event of the 2023-24 DP World Tour season on the top of the Race to Dubai rankings. In the first round and on the par-4 first hole of the day, McIlroy struck an impressive 194 mph opening drive at Yas Links golf course.
The video of his opening drive was posted by DP World Tour and can be watched below:
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At the time of writing, Rory McIlroy was tied for 11th after playing 15 holes with a score of -5.
In the pre-tournament press conference, the Irish golfer was asked how he felt on the top of the rankings with two weeks to go. He responded (via ASAP Sports):
"Yeah, it feels good. I'm focused on this week. Because if I can play well this week, play really well this week, then next week won't matter, for me, anyway. I'll still want to go out and play well and try to win the golf tournament, but I know that I can make life a lot easier for myself with a good week this week. Fully focused on that."
Rory McIlroy has a great record at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, however, he is yet to win the event. When asked if he felt there was 'unfinished business' at the tournament, the 35-year-old said:
"Absolutely. I've played really well in Abu Dhabi and obviously in Dubai. I've been able to get the job done in Dubai few more times than here. But I've had plenty of chances. But when we played at Abu Dhabi National, seemed like Martin Kaymer was sort of the man over there and I felt like I finished second or third to him quite a lot."
He has three runner-up finishes and four third-place finishes in 12 starts at the tournament and also finished as a runner-up to Kaymer in 2011. Reflecting on wanting to clinch a win, McIlroy remarked:
"I'd love to get a win in Abu Dhabi. I've been so close so many times. It would be nice to finally get over the line."
Rory McIlroy will tee off at 2.50 am ET with Thriston Lawrence and Rasmus Hojgaard in the second round of the tournament.
Rory McIlroy reflects on Donald Trump's statement on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf deal
Donald Trump recently said that if he were to be elected to the White House, he'd do a PGA Tour and LIV merger deal in 15 minutes. The merger was announced last year, but no agreement has been reached yet.
In the pre-tournament press conference at the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Rory McIlroy was asked about the statement. McIlroy said (via ASAP Sports):
"He might be able to. He's got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too. I think from the outside looking in, it's probably a little less complicated than it actually is. But obviously Trump has great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He's got a great relationship with golf. He's a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows?"
The Irish golfer then added that despite being a lover of golf, being a President of the United States means that Trump would have other matters to focus on besides golf.
