CARLSBAD, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2023) – Rory McIlroy powered past a crowded leaderboard to win his third Dubai Desert Classic and maintain the World No. 1 ranking with rounds of 66-70-65-68. McIlroy birdied the 72nd hole to secure a one-stroke victory, which is not only his first Rolex Series win but also the first time he’s won his first start of the calendar year. McIlroy debuted TaylorMade’s all-new Stealth 2 Plus 3-wood, while continuing to have remarkable success with his TP5x golf ball.
The victory marked McIlroy’s third win in his last seven starts, while he has not finished lower than T4 in the other four tournaments.
McIlroy’s Stealth 2 Plus 3-wood features a 50g sliding weight which allows for three main settings, each with its own performance characteristics – creating three different fairway woods in one. The 15-time DP World Tour winner has his 3-wood set in the middle setting which is the most versatile for optimal playability off the deck or off the tee.
Shifting it to the front reduces spin and creates a piercing trajectory for added distance off the tee. Positioning the weight all the way back is the most forgiving setting. It adds spin and increases MOI for enhanced performance on off-center strikes.
Rory McIlroy WITB
- Stealth Plus 9.0° driver
- Stealth 2 Plus 15.0° 3-Wood
- Stealth Plus 19.0° 5-Wood
- Rors Proto Irons 3-PW
- Spider X Hydro Blast
- TP5x
Rory McIlroy Need to Know
- Third Dubai Desert Classic Title and first Rolex Series Title
- Win marks his 15th career victory on the DP World Tour
- McIlroy has won three times in his last seven starts and has not finished lower than T4 in his other four starts
- This is the first time he has won his first start of the calendar year
- McIlroy maintains his No. 1 World Ranking