The first Rolex Series event of the 2024 DP World Tour is underway with top global players competing for a $9m prize, with Rory McIlroy currently 10 shots behind leader Cameron Young, while Joaquin Niemann is set to partner with McIlroy and Adrian Meronk is tied with Andy Sullivan on 10-under.
At Glance
‣ The first Rolex Series event on the 2024 DP World Tour calendar has begun, featuring top players from all around the world competing for a $9m prize money payout.
‣ Event headliner, Rory McIlroy, is aiming for his fourth title at the event but is currently 10 shots behind leader Cameron Young.
‣ Cameron Young, the World No. 25, has managed 14 birdies and an eagle after his first 12 holes of the event, giving him a comfortable lead.
‣ Other notable players include Joaquin Niemann, Adrian Meronk, and the Højgaard twins, all of whom are in contention for the title.
How it stands at the halfway stage 📊 #DubaiDesertClassic | #RolexSeries
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour)
The 2024 DP World Tour is in full swing. The first Rolex Series event has drawn top players from across the globe, all vying for a slice of the hefty $9m prize pot.
Rory McIlroy, the event’s headliner, is gunning for his fourth title. However, he’s got his work cut out for him, trailing 10 shots behind the leader, Cameron Young. Young, sitting pretty at 13-under, is three strokes ahead of his closest competitor, Andy Sullivan.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann will be McIlroy’s partner on Saturday. Niemann, who entered the tournament with the sole aim of securing a spot at The Masters, had a mixed bag on Friday with four birdies and four bogeys. He ended the day at level-par, failing to build on his three-under total from Thursday.
World No. 25, Cameron Young, started the event at level par after his first 12 holes. But he’s since racked up 14 birdies and an eagle, giving him a comfortable lead heading into the weekend. Young has a history of near-misses, with two runner-up finishes on the DP World Tour and four more on the PGA Tour. He’s yet to add to his two Korn Ferry Tour victories from 2021.
Adrian Meronk from Poland and England’s Sullivan are tied at 10-under. They’re followed by Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay at seven-under. The Højgaard brothers are set to tee off in the third-last group on Saturday.
Luke Donald, Team Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, is currently far from contention at two-under. However, he made the sixth hole-in-one of the DP World Tour season and the second of his European Tour career when he holed an eight iron from 183 yards on the fourth.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is set to continue. The complete list of tee times and groupings for round three is available.
For those in the US, you can catch the action on the Golf Channel/Peacock from 2.30am-7.30am ET on Saturday 20 January and Sunday 21 January. UK viewers can tune into Sky Sports Golf from 4.00am-1.00pm GMT or Sky Sports Main Event from 4.00am-12.00pm GMT on Saturday 20 January. On Sunday 21 January, the timings are 4.00am-1.00pm GMT for Sky Sports Golf and 4.30am-11.00am GMT for Sky Sports Main Event.
