McIlroy cards rounds of 67 and 69 to end the week tied-12th, five strokes behind winner Thomas Pieters in Abu Dhabi; Four-time major champion in action again next week at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic - watch live from Thursday on Sky Sports Golf
Sunday 23 January 2022 14:54, UK
Rory McIlroy admitted he was grateful to just be still involved in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after unexpectedly getting into contention during the final round of the Rolex Series event.
McIlroy, who only made it through to the weekend on the cut mark and came into Sunday nine strokes back, made an unlikely final-round charge for an elusive win in the series.
The Northern Irishman played a five-hole stretch in five under around the turn at Yas Links, temporarily taking him within three of the lead, before a three-under 69 left him tied-12th and five strokes behind tournament winner Thomas Pieters.
"Honestly just happy enough I got to play an extra two days," McIlroy said after his round. "I had to make a birdie at the last on Friday night to be here and almost made the most of the weekend.
"Played well yesterday. Played really well today through 13 and then a couple of loose shots coming in that cost me, but it was good to see where the game's at. It was good to get an extra couple of days golf going into Dubai [Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic] next week.
"Obviously [it] wasn't the finish I wanted today but big picture-wise good to get another couple of days to play 36 holes, get a card in the hand and sort of assess where everything is and sort of know what to work on going into next week."
The former world No 1 birdied two of his opening four holes and responded to missing a four-footer to save par at the sixth by holing out from the rough for an unlikely eagle at the par-four ninth.
McIlroy birdied the tenth and bounced back from a three-putt par at the 11th to post back-to-back gains over the next two holes, briefly taking him within three of the lead, only for McIlroy to bogey the 14th, 17th and snap hook his approach into water to drop another shot at the par-five last.
McIlroy will now make the short trip to the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, where the 32-year-old will look to build on his Abu Dhabi display at the venue where he claimed his maiden professional win in 2009 and also enjoyed a victory in 2015.
"I thought for the most part I struck the ball well," McIlroy added. "Coming into the new season, you have new equipment and there's always a couple little kinks to work out here and there.
"I put a three-iron in the bag a couple weeks ago and that cost me three shots on the first day and my three-wood caught -- I'm not blaming it completely on the equipment, but I knew there was a bit of a left in it and it sort of showed its head on 14 today and on 18.
"They weren't too great swings, as well, so need to work a little bit on that. But apart from that, I thought the driver was good, irons were pretty good for the most part. Hopefully get to Dubai with some favourable conditions next week."
Watch the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic this January live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage begins with Featured Groups on Thursday from 4am, ahead of full coverage from 7.30am.
