McIlroy shoots 63 to take clubhouse lead in first round in Dubai

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (AP)

Rory McIlroy took another step toward regaining his form Thursday with his lowest score in more than three years, a 9-under 63 while playing with Tiger Woods to take a two-shot lead in the Dubai Desert Classic.

McIlroy played bogey-free in ideal scoring conditions on the Maglis course at Emirates Golf Club, picking up six birdies and an eagle during a 10-hole stretch in the middle of his round. He easily upstaged Woods, who was five shots behind after a 68.

Edoardo Molinari made an eagle on the par-4 second hole on his way to a 65. The group at 66 included Stephen Gallacher, the defending champion who also played in the feature group with Woods and McIlroy.

McIlroy had his best score since a 63 in the Hong Kong Open in November 2010.

The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland was No. 1 in the world at this point a year ago, but went through a troublesome season adjusting to new equipment and coping with his first prolonged slump. He didn't win a tournament until the Australian Open in December. In his 2014 debut two weeks ago, McIlroy finished one shot behind in Abu Dhabi, where he was given a two-shot penalty in the third round for not taking proper relief.

McIlroy said he was ''very close'' to playing his best and that this was ''another step up from Abu Dhabi'' the way he controlled his irons.

''I played the ball really well from tee to green, drove the ball really well again,'' he said. ''You can see how well I am driving it that I am leaving myself a lot of wedges into the green. So that's going to help.''

McIlroy ran off three straight birdies early in his round and made the turn on the back nine in 32. He made eagle on the par-5 third hole with a 5-wood into 8 feet.

Woods managed to hit just half of the fairways in regulation, but taking only 25 putts helped him. The world's No. 1 player also made his first birdie of the year on a par 5, his opening hole at No. 10. Woods did not birdie any of the 12 par 5s he played last week at Torrey Pines, where he missed the 54-hole cut.

''I felt like it was a good day,'' Woods said. ''I could have got a couple more out of it, just by making a couple putts from about ten feet or so but I hit a lot of good putts which was nice. Last week I didn't do it and it was nice to actually play well again.''

Woods is a two-time winner in Dubai, which is celebrating its 25-year anniversary. McIlroy won his first European Tour event at Dubai in 2009. Among the past champions, Fred Couples, Mark O'Meara and Colin Montgomerie each shot 70, as did Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson.

Molinari, who took a bogey on the par-5 18th, bounced back on the short second hole when he hit a big drive to just short of the green and then chipped in from about 35 yards for an eagle.

''It was a good day,'' Molinari said. ''I've been hitting the ball very well lately, and especially off the tee.''

But the day belonged to McIlroy, who has a chance this week to build some momentum. He called it his best round since a 66 to beat Adam Scott in Australia at the end of last year, and while McIlroy shot 64 in Boston last September, ''it's definitely the lowest round I've shot in a while.''

Gallacher said he was happy with a 66, especially playing alongside two of the biggest stars in golf. He played an 18-hole exhibition with Woods and Couples earlier this week.

''I played alongside Tiger on Tuesday, so I knew what to expect, and it was just a matter of getting on with my own game,'' Gallacher said. ''So Tiger's been fine, but then Rory's been brilliant.''

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Tiger, Phil, Bubba, Rory: Golf’s biggest guns misfire on its biggest stage

By Jay Busbee | Devil Ball Golf

Where he walks these days, Tiger walks alone. (Getty Images)

We're in the midst of a golden age of golf parity, an era when anyone within five shots of the lead on the Sunday of a major (which, at one point or another, encompasses pretty much everyone) can bring home one of golf's biggest prizes. And while that keeps hopes of dozens of golfers alive, it's hell on the brands of the sport's biggest names.

This week was one of the most wretched in memory for many of golf's best-known players. Let's take a look at each of them in turn, and see how the Olympic debacle might affect them:

Tiger Woods (+7, finished T21): An unmitigated disaster. After two days, Woods was in prime shape to win his first major in four years. After three, he was rocky but still within striking distance; all he would have needed, in theory, was a three-under performance to force a playoff. But he completely imploded, going +6 over the first seven holes and perpetuating doubts that he'll ever be able to put together four consistent major-level rounds. He should win another major in his future, but Jack Nicklaus' 18-major record looks as safe as it ever has.

[Related: Webb Simpson comes from four shots back to win the U.S. Open]

Phil Mickelson (+16, finished T65): Miserable from the very first shot. Mickelson's vaunted bounceback ability was nowhere to be seen this week. He's had terrible performances like this before, but rarely in majors. Mickelson has an incredible ability to forget his poor play, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him contend at the PGA Championship. (The British Open has almost always bedeviled him.) Still, the window is closing fast on his chances to win the major he wants so badly.

Rory McIlroy (Missed cut, T95): Highly concerning. McIlroy has now missed cuts in four of five events. Congressional looks a long way away now. This isn't the boy wonder who torched course after course; this is a man adrift. Whether it's lifestyle, preparation or just a really bad stretch, McIlroy is spinning now. Fortunately, he could right the ship at the British ... or he could further spiral downward.

Bubba Watson (Missed cut, T73): Unsurprising. Bubba is a household name entirely because of his Masters win, but he's always been a bit of a flaky golfer. Pairing him with Woods and Mickelson was a stroke of brilliance on the USGA's part, but Watson never appeared particularly comfortable at any time on the Olympic grounds. Still, he's very much a product of the 21st century: brilliance one week, catastrophe the next.

Big lead means easy win for Woods

Associated Press

Tiger Woods left the drama to everyone else at Cog Hill.

One day after his course-record 62 gave him a seven-shot lead, Woods made sure no one else had a chance Sunday in the BMW Championship in Lemont, Ill. He closed with a 3-under-par 68 for an eight-shot victory over Jim Furyk and Marc Leishman.

It was Woods' sixth victory of the year, his fifth victory at Cog Hill, and his 10th victory by at least eight shots.

As Woods cruised around Cog Hill in his familiar red shirt, a dozen players behind him were scrambling for positions leading into the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake in Atlanta in two weeks.

Furyk's runner-up finish moved him up 15 spots to No. 3, meaning he can win the FedEx Cup with a victory at the Tour Championship. Leishman, who qualified for Cog Hill only by making an eagle on his last hole a week ago outside Boston, earned his first trip to the Tour Championship and will have an outside shot at the $10 million.

Most compelling, however, was the competition for the 30th and final spot in the Tour Championship.

The heartbreaker belonged to Brandt Snedeker, playing in the final group with Woods. Walking up the 18th hole, he learned he needed only a bogey to finish in the top 30. He missed his 12-foot par putt, then watched in shock as his 3-footer for bogey caught the left lip of the cup. Snedeker was so stunned that he missed the next two putts and took triple bogey.

That allowed John Senden to take the 30th spot by less than a half-point over Ian Poulter.

Woods finished at 19-under 265 for his 71st career victory, leaving two short of Jack Nicklaus for second on the PGA Tour's career list.

Cog Hill became the fourth course on which Woods has won at least five times. He has won seven times at Torrey Pines and Firestone, and six times at Bay Hill.

Shin takes LPGA playoff: Jiyai Shin shot a 7-under 64, then beat Angela Stanford and Sun Young Yoo on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers.

Shin trailed by seven strokes at the beginning of the day. It was her third LPGA Tour victory of the year. Shin posted her final-round score around 12:30 p.m. local time, then had to wait a few hours for everyone else to finish. Yoo birdied No. 18 to tie for the lead, and Stanford qualified for the playoff with an 18th-hole eagle.

U.S. amateurs dominate: The U.S. team won its third straight Walker Cup, claiming three early singles matches for an insurmountable 14-6 lead over Great Britain and Ireland at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. The final score was 16 1/2-9 1/2.

Americans Ricky Fowler and Peter Uihlein completed the weekend unbeaten in four matches.

Kingston prevails in Europe: James Kingston of South Africa won his second European Tour title, beating Anders Hansen of Denmark on the first playoff hole at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany.

This article appeared on page B - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle.