Rory McIlroy has kicked off his 2026 season with a strong opening round at the 2026 Dubai Invitational. The tournament began on January 15 at the Dubai Creek Resort, and a total of 60 golfers are competing in this event for a total prize pool of $2.75 million. McIlroy is a fan favourite in this tournament, and after his first round, the Irish golfer leads with a total score of 5 under par.
Following his impressive round, the 36-year-old appeared in an interview, where he discussed some of the changes he is making for 2026. Initially, a reporter pointed out that the golfer had a lot more irons in his bag than in the previous season.
In response, McIlroy stated that he is constantly open to help and that the problems he encountered in Dubai last year prompted him to make some alterations to his bag. The 2025 Race to Dubai winner revealed that he missed some big shots last season, which is why he is carrying so many irons. The golfer stated,
“I do, I think if there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely take it. Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it for a while and even in Dubai at the end of last year I hit a couple of like five irons that I misstruck slightly and you know like instead of it maybe coming up you know five or seven yards short it was coming up sort of more like 10 to 15 yards short so yeah I just asked the guys at TaylorMade to build me up a set.”
McIlroy also revealed that he and TaylorMade traveled to Australia to examine the firm golf courses and develop a new set of irons. He also said that he plans to launch a new golf ball in 2026.
Rory McIlroy is pumped up after a terrific first round of the 2026 Dubai Invitational
Following his impressive round, Rory McIlroy shared some of his main motivations for the 2026 season. The World No. 2 spoke with Sky Sports about how much he enjoys the job and process, and how he plans to take on more challenges in the future. The golfer also stated that he identifies as a hard worker, which is what distinguishes him.
According to the BBC, Rory McIlroy stated,
“I like the work and like the process. I enjoy doing challenging things, and I think if you can make that the important part and make it routine, you don’t need motivation to do it. It’s your lifestyle and what you do. I guess it’s who you identify as, and I identify as a hard worker and someone who likes to do those things.”
Speaking of his round, Rory McIlroy blasted a stunning five under par through the first nine holes of his opening round. The golfer was in excellent form, making six birdies and one bogey. On the other side, McIlroy made only one bogey and one birdie on the back nine, and he finished the round without taking many risks.
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