By Islam El-Sakka
Rory McIlroy accepted a two-shot penalty during the first round of the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links after rules officials determined he had improved his lie on the 12th hole. The world number two said video of the incident “doesn’t look very good” but insisted there was no intent to breach the rules.
Penalty Details
McIlroy’s chip shot at the par-4 12th rolled back into the rough and settled in a divot. He pressed his club down behind the ball before walking forward to assess the green. After the round, officials ruled the action improved his lie, turning a double bogey into a quadruple-bogey 8. “There’s no intent. I play by the rules,” McIlroy said. “I don’t feel like I pressed down, but I don’t want the perception of getting away with something.”
Leaderboard Impact
The penalty left McIlroy with a 2-under-par 70, eight shots behind leader Francesco Laporta of Italy. The tournament is the first of the DP World Tour’s two-event playoffs, with McIlroy chasing a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title. He sits third in the standings behind Eugenio Chacarra and Patrick Reed, and the three are paired together for the opening two rounds.
Chacarra and Rahm
Chacarra, playing alongside his idols, admitted to nerves but called it a pleasure to compete with McIlroy. Spain’s Jon Rahm carded a bogey-free 7-under 65 to sit tied for second in his first competitive round in seven weeks and his first at Yas Links.
McIlroy Outlook
McIlroy expects to be “fired up” for Friday’s second round and views the playoff as a two-week battle. “I felt like I saw enough encouraging signs in my game to go in and shoot a good one tomorrow,” he said.
