Defending champion Stephen Gallacher was at a loss to explain the sensational scoring burst which gave him a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy heading into the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Rory McIlroy’s favourite hole gave his bid for a second Omega Dubai Desert Classic title a massive boost in the early stages of today’s third round.

Two days after matching his best ever European Tour round, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher amazingly went one better in Dubai today.

Rory Mc Ilroy has taken the outright lead of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard on day three of the tournament today.

Tiger Woods has apologised for his spitting at the Dubai Desert Classic, but actions will have to speak louder than words at next week's Accenture Match Play in Tucson.

Rory McIlroy gave the world’s top three golfers a tough act to follow when he opened the Omega Dubai Desert Classic with a seven-under-par 65 today.

Nobody could complain about the quality of the leaderboard when the Omega Dubai Desert Classic began today - even before Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer had teed off.

Irish teenager Rory McIlroy held his nerve to win a first professional title at the Dubai Desert Classic today by one stroke from Justin Rose.

Irish golfing prodigy Rory McIlroy has won his first European Tour title today, despite dropping shots on the closing holes.

Third round play has been suspended for the day in the Dubai Desert Classic due to bad light.

Rory McIlroy produced two timely eagles today to take charge of the delayed Dubai Desert Classic to remain in the hunt for a maiden professional title.

Rory McIlroy has retaken the lead in the Dubai Desert Classic lead this morning, shooting a second-round 68 to lie 12-under-par.

Irish prodigy Rory McIlroy produced a timely eight-under-par 64 today to open up a one-stroke lead midway through the first round of the delayed Dubai Desert Classic.

Irish pair Graeme McDowell and Gary Murphy made the best of testing conditions at the Dubai Desert Classic this morning to move within two strokes of overnight leader Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods has confirmed he will be returning to the Middle East next year for the Dubai Desert Classic at the end of January.

Tiger Woods has targeted his putting for improvement before the Masters in April after failing to defend his Dubai Desert Classic today.

Henrik Stenson is the new Dubai Desert Classic champion after keeping his cool on the 18th hole to sink the winning putt and edge Ernie Els by one stroke.

Henrik Stenson finally broke from the chasing pack to take a one-stroke lead as a thrilling final day of the Dubai Desert Classic entered the closing stages.

There was a four-way tussle at the top of the Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard as the leaders reached the halfway stage of the final round today.

Tiger Woods held his nerve to claim his first Dubai Desert Classic at the third attempt in a dramatic sudden-death play-off against defending champion Ernie Els.

Ernie Els used all his nous and experience around the Emirates Golf Club course to assume a two-stroke lead on the final day of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Tiger Woods shot a 67 to assume the joint leadership with Anders Hansen at 16 under after the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Retief Goosen and Anders Hansen maintained their two-stroke advantage at the top of the leaderboard early on the third day of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Tiger Woods’ six under par round of 66 was enough to leave him in the lead of the Dubai Desert Classic, but far from satisfied.

Tiger Woods emerged from the early-morning gloom to fire a warning shot to the rest of the field at the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

World number three Retief Goosen is the big name in a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Colin Montgomerie’s £15m (€22m) divorce may have been preying on his mind as he slumped to a five-over-par 42 in his first nine holes of the Dubai Desert Classic.

A dramatic 18-foot eagle putt on the final hole gave Ernie Els a third Dubai Desert Classic title today – but only when Miguel Angel Jimenez three-putted the same green.

Miguel Angel Jimenez still led Ernie Els by one after five holes of the final round in the Dubai Desert Classic today – but the early action was anything but routine.

A giant-sized blunder from Ernie Els helped Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez retain the lead in the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates today.

Miguel Angel Jimenez stretched his lead to four shots at the Dubai Desert Classic today – helped by an unexpected blunder from world number three Ernie Els.

Ernie Els kept a bogey off his card for the second round running, but was overtaken by Miguel Angel Jimenez at the Dubai Desert Classic today.

Greg Norman withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic before his second round today after suffering a recurrence of back trouble.

Lee Westwood overcame a broken driver today to keep alive his hopes of victory in the Dubai Desert Classic.

After an eventful start to the Dubai Desert Classic Sandy Lyle spoke today about the disappointment of missing out on the Ryder Cup captaincy again.

Mark O’Meara predicts good times ahead for Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley, the Irishman he pushed into second place at the Dubai Desert Classic yesterday.

Mark O’Meara, the 47-year-old former Masters and Open champion, today achieved his first big victory since 1998.

Paul McGinley, seeking his first win since he holed the winning putt in the Ryder Cup two years ago, chipped in at the last to regain a share of the lead with a round to go in the Dubai Desert Classic.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley has moved into the lead at the Dubai Desert Classic after carding a seven-under-par second-round 65 today.

Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley had a magical eight successive birdies today to join Bradley Dredge as leader of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Tiger Woods hauled himself back into the hunt for the Dubai Desert Classic today and then talked about his visit to American troops on Wednesday.

Further thick fog caused the Dubai Desert Classic to lose even further time today.

An outrageous birdie shot Ernie Els amongst the early leaders at the Dubai Desert Classic after thick fog had delayed the start for two and a half hours.

Thick fog delayed the start of the Dubai Desert Classic featuring Tiger Woods and Ernie Els.