Frustrated McIlroy claims ‘moral victory’

For a second time in three years Rory McIlroy has seen Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship glory snatched from his grasp due to a rules blunder.

Two years ago, Luke Donald picked McIlroy up on a rules infringement during the final round that saw the Irish star lose out by a stroke to England’s Robert Rock.

Now, after McIlroy incurred a two-shot penalty on day three of this year’s event in not taking ‘full relief’ from a spectator crossing point, a lack of understanding of the Rules of Golf came back to haunt him again in losing out by one stroke to playing partner and close friend Pablo Larrazabal of Spain.