Two penalty strokes: Rory McIlroy eight strokes behind the lead after a rules penalty

Rory McIlroy began the DP World Tour's Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship with a two-stroke penalty. After a review of a play on the 12th hole, his double Bogey on that hole was changed to a quadruple Bogey. With a 70 and two strokes under Par, the Northern Irishman was eight strokes behind leader Francesco Laporta after the first round.

What Led to the Penalty on the 12th Hole

The incident occurred immediately before McIlroy’s fourth shot on the par-4 12th hole—his second chip from the Rough. After his first chip, the ball had rolled back into a sandy depression. When McIlroy addressed the ball, a tuft of grass appeared to lie flat and not return to its original position.

Find live scoring for the 2026 DP World Tour Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship here.

Rule 8.1b(4): Lightly touch the ground with the club—do not press down

The DP World Tour announced in a statement that McIlroy had been penalized two strokes for a violation of Rule 8.1b(4). The rule allows a player to lightly rest the club on the ground in front of or behind the ball. The weight of the club may be supported by the grass—even if this improves the ball’s lie. However, it is prohibited to press the club into the ground.

After reviewing the footage, McIlroy could not say whether he had actually pressed the club down, the statement said. Because he did not want to continue playing without a penalty, he decided to take the two penalty strokes.

McIlroy explains his decision after the round

In an interview with the DP World Tour after the round, McIlroy said he had no intention of improving his lie. “I don’t feel like I pushed the club down. At the same time, though, I don’t want to give the impression that I got away with anything. That’s why I’m accepting the two-stroke penalty and moving on—with an eye toward tomorrow.”

Aside from the incident on the 12th hole, McIlroy said he was satisfied with parts of his game. He hit his Irons well and teed off solidly. “There were enough encouraging signs to play a good round tomorrow and get myself back in the tournament.”

Laporta Leads – McIlroy Eight Strokes Back

After the first round, McIlroy was tied for 33rd place. Laporta took the lead with a bogey-free 62, putting him at 10 under Par and giving him a three-stroke lead. Jon Rahm, Sam Bairstow, and Bernd Wiesberger shared second place with scores of 65. Eugenio Chacarra, who also shot a 70, was tied with McIlroy in the tournament but led the Race to Dubai standings. McIlroy was in third place there, while Patrick Reed was in second.

For McIlroy, the season standings are also on the line in Abu Dhabi: He is chasing his fifth consecutive Race to Dubai title and his eighth overall. “Golf tournaments are long. There’s still a long way to go to the finish line—especially in a situation like this, where it’s not just about this week, but also about the next one,” he said. He wants to take each day as it comes and build on his performance.