Showing off a revamped backswing he spent weeks working on, McIlroy kept his misses to a minimum in posting an opening-round 67 and is tied for the lead after the first day of the event with Tyrrell Hatton at 5 under.

France’s Antoine Rozner claimed the halfway lead in the DP World Tour Championship after Rory McIlroy failed to build on a flying start in Dubai. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Back in 2017, after a bogey on the 18th at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course, Tyrrell Hatton said the par-5 “seems to hate me.” Fast forward seven years and its clear that relationship is mutual.