Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the ninth green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the ninth green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the ninth green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the ninth green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images

Sport

Rory McIlroy puts his modest DP World Tour Championship down to rust

World No 2 wants to finish with a flourish after 7-under round on Saturday takes him to tied-18th

John McAuley
John McAuley

November 18, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

By his own admission, Rory McIlroy has not been at his best around the Earth Course this week.

But then, he said, that was kind of to be expected. The world No 2, crowned Race to Dubai champion for a fifth time before a ball had been struck at the DP World Tour Championship (DPWTC), has been slightly below par the first few days.

Not literally, mind. McIlroy shot a bogey-free 65 on Saturday, embellished significantly by a birdie-eagle finish, to sit on a wholly respectable 8-under par. The only problem being, it left him eight more behind leader Matt Wallace, in a tie for 18th.

Most probably, and primarily because of his 71-72 across the opening two days, the two-time tournament winner is too far back for a tilt at title No 3.

But having taken time off since his starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in Italy in October, McIlroy can be forgiven for displaying a few signs of rust.

“I think so,” the four-time major champion said. “I haven't done much at all after the Ryder Cup. Tried to put in a little bit of practice over the last couple of weeks, but I sort of jammed my wrist, as well, a couple weeks ago and that limited how many balls I hit, too.

“Yeah, just sort of came in not as prepared as I could have been or should have been. But feel like I'm starting to find my feet a little bit after a few days.”

Indeed, McIlroy has been sporting a bit of tape on his right wrist this week. Hopefully, though, it holds up when he has to hoist the pretty hefty Race to Dubai trophy, no matter how he finishes, on Sunday.

“It's the last round of the year,” McIlroy said of the final 18 holes of the season finale. “Go out and try to shoot a good score and get myself a decent finish.

“I would say, as well, coming into the week, already having wrapped up the Race to Dubai, I'd say my expectation levels weren't super high.

“But still, every day I go out there, I go out there and try to do my absolute best. It was nice to play a little bit more like me today.”

DP World Tour Championship Day 3 - in pictures

  • Tommy Fleetwood of England looks across the 17th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
    Tommy Fleetwood of England looks across the 17th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
  • Viktor Hovland of Norway lines up a putt on the 17th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
    Viktor Hovland of Norway lines up a putt on the 17th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
  • Matt Wallace of England plays his third shot on the 18th hole from a bunker. Getty Images
    Matt Wallace of England plays his third shot on the 18th hole from a bunker. Getty Images
  • Jon Rahm from Spain plays a bunker shot on the first hole during the round three. AP
    Jon Rahm from Spain plays a bunker shot on the first hole during the round three. AP
  • Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Matt Fitzpatrick of England shake hands on the 18th green. Getty Images
    Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Matt Fitzpatrick of England shake hands on the 18th green. Getty Images
  • Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 18th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
    Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 18th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images)
  • Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark acknowledges the crowd on the third green. Getty Images
    Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark acknowledges the crowd on the third green. Getty Images
  • Thriston Lawrence of South Africa tees off on the fourth hole during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images
    Thriston Lawrence of South Africa tees off on the fourth hole during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship. Getty Images
  • Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark reacts following his second shot on the first hole. Getty Images
    Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark reacts following his second shot on the first hole. Getty Images
  • Tyrrell Hatton of England plays a shot from a bunker on the third hole. Getty Images
    Tyrrell Hatton of England plays a shot from a bunker on the third hole. Getty Images

'Skin'

Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

ASIAN%20RUGBY%20CHAMPIONSHIP%202024
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EResults%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EHong%20Kong%2052-5%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESouth%20Korea%2055-5%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EMalaysia%206-70%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3EUAE%2036-32%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2021%2C%207.30pm%20kick-off%3A%20UAE%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EAt%20The%20Sevens%2C%20Dubai%20(admission%20is%20free).%3Cbr%3ESaturday%3A%20Hong%20Kong%20v%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Tenderd

Started: May 2018

Founder: Arjun Mohan

Based: Dubai

Size: 23 employees 

Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital

T20 World Cup Qualifier

October 18 – November 2

Opening fixtures

Friday, October 18

ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya

Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan

Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed

Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Results

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.

Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.

The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.

New process leads to panic among jobseekers

As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.  

“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.

Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE. 

“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.

“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”

Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).

While you're here
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More on animal trafficking
AGL AWARDS

Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)

Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a  month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

 

Updated: November 18, 2023, 4:00 PM
DP World Tour ChampionshipGolfRory McIlroy