Spain’s Alejandro Canizares set the early clubhouse target in the first round of the DP World Tour Championship as Rory McIlroy was left to rue the one that got away.
Canizares completed a six-under-par 66 at Jumeirah Golf Estates just seconds before a Red Arrows flypast over the Earth Course timed to take place ahead of the final group of Justin Rose and Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson teeing off.
McIlroy was two under par and on the 17th hole at that point, but found water on the par-five 18th to run up his third bogey of the day and had to settle for an opening 71.
“I feel like I played better than the score suggested and turned a 67 into a 71,” said McIlroy, who topped the money list on both sides of the Atlantic last year but came into this event a lowly 46th on the Race to Dubai and still seeking a first win of the year.
“I got off to a great start, was three under par through four and playing really nicely and then got on a run of pars on the back nine. I had chances at the 10th, 14th, 15th and 16th and I’m coming off the course disappointed but I know there is a good score out there.”
McIlroy had spoken on Tuesday of the off-course distractions which have contributed to a poor season by his standards, most notably the legal dispute with his former management company.
And the 24-year-old who was watched by tennis star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki added: “It’s much better than it has been the last few months and I am playing better, which is important. It’s good that the game is back on track.
“I have this event and two more so it would be great to get a win before the end of the season.”
Canizares carded seven birdies and one bogey in his 66 before revealing his relief at being in Dubai at all after problems with his girlfriend’s visa.
“My girlfriend is from the Czech Republic and I always forget she doesn’t have a Spanish passport and needs a visa,” Canizares explained. “I only remembered when we got to the check-in desk at the airport in Turkey on Sunday evening and handed over the passports.
“Fortunately we had help from a lot of people and the tournament director Nick Tarrat was waiting with Dubai’s captain of immigration when we got to Dubai airport at 3am on Monday morning.”
Nine players can still win the Race to Dubai and become European number one, with FedEx Cup winner Stenson in the driving seat thanks to a lead of 213,000 points over Rose.
Stenson, Rose and Graeme McDowell control their own destiny and can secure the Race to Dubai by winning here, while a win for fourth-placed Ian Poulter would mean Stenson needs to finish second to retain top spot.
McDowell got off to a bad start with bogeys at the first and third before a birdie on the fourth, while Rose, Stenson and Poulter were all one under after three holes.