Start of Hero Dubai Desert Classic Day 2 delayed by two hours due to overnight rain

Start of Friday's play at Emirates Golf Club pushed back to 10am

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Tommy Fleetwood of England smile on course during Day Two of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 27, 2023. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks across the 9th hole during Day Two of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland retrieves his ball after holing his second shot for an eagle on the 8th hole at Emirates Golf Club. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy plays his second shot for an eagle on the 8th hole. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy reacts after shooting for an eagle on the 8th hole. Getty Images

Thomas Pieters of Belgium tees off on the 9th hole. Getty Images

Thomas Pieters of Belgium putts the ball. AFP

Thomas Pieters of Belgium tees off on the 8th hole. Getty Images

Patrick Reed of the USA looks on during the first round on the second day of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. EPA

Min Woo Lee of Australia, Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Victor Perez of France walk from the 8th tee. Getty Images

Victor Perez of France throws a ball to his Caddie on the 9th green. Getty Images

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden tees off on the 8th hole. Getty Images

Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts ahead of a drop by the 9th hole green. Getty Images

Staff at Emirates Golf Club ready the course for Day 2 of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after more overnight rain. All photos: Paul Radley / The National

A new water hazard has emerged next to the fifth hole on the Majlis Course.

A new water hazard has emerged next to the fifth hole on the Majlis Course.

Day 2 of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic will be delayed by two hours after more overnight rain left areas of the Majlis Course flooded.

The gates are open to the public at Emirates Golf Club, although the course remains closed and players have yet to arrive at the range.

Play had been due to restart at 8am, with players who saw their opening round on Thursday curtailed by bad light set to finish their remaining holes.

The remaining half of the entry list, who did not get out on the course at all on Thursday, were due to begin at 8.20am.

Now those respective start times have been rescheduled to 10am and 10.20am.

Rory McIlroy will return to the 7th green, where he opted to mark a four-foot putt on Thursday evening, rather than finish off after the horn blew.

The world No 1 is on 2-under par, three strokes behind the leader, Thomas Pieters.

The Belgian will himself be returning to the 7th-tee to restart his first round at 5-under.

McIlroy's playing partners both enjoyed promising starts. Ryan Fox did manage to finish up at the par-3 7th, after firing his tee shot to within a foot of an ace.

Tommy Fleetwood landed his own tee shot to within a similar range, only for it to run through the green and end on the fringe.

The Englishman is 4-under par for the 15 holes he has played so far.

That puts him in a share for second place with five other players. Oliver Wilson, Daniel Gavins and Matthew Gavins all managed to finish their rounds within the four hours and 20 minutes that was played on Thursday. Each signed for a 68.

Patrick Reed is also on 4-under par through 16 holes, as is Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Victor Perez, having completed 15 holes.

Day 1 of the Dubai Desert Classic