UNC senior David Ford upstages Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm to share lead in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A 22-year-old American novice making his debut on the DP World Tour upstaged Rory McIlroy , Jon Rahm and lots of the world’s prime gamers on the Hero Dubai Desert Traditional for a share of the first-round lead on Thursday.

David Ford, a senior on the College of North Carolina, holed a 40-foot eagle putt at his first gap, ran off 5 straight birdies halfway via the spherical and signed for a 7-under 65 at Emirates Golf Membership.

Ford is a lefty, a triplet, No. 6 on the planet novice rankings and enjoying outdoors the US for the primary time. He earned an exemption for the Dubai Desert Traditional, probably the most prestigious occasions on the European tour, as a reward for ending the autumn part of the collegiate golf schedule at No. 1 within the PGA Tour’s college rating.

Requested if he was anticipating to contend in Dubai, the place six of the world’s prime 20 are competing, Ford mentioned: “I attempt to hold my expectations low. I do know the place my sport is at proper now and I’ve bought lots of people round me believing in me which is admittedly useful going into this week.

“I simply tried to have enjoyable. Simply come out right here and do the preparation that I do for faculty occasions and simply hold every part actually easy and hold having enjoyable.”

Ford was tied for the lead with Ricardo Gouveia of Portugal and David Micheluzzi of Australia — and 5 photographs away from defending champion McIlroy, who mentioned he felt “just a little uncomfortable” in capturing 70 in his first aggressive spherical of 2025.

The No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman was 1 over after eight holes earlier than enjoying his ultimate 10 holes in 3 underneath — together with a chip-in at No. 7, his sixteenth gap.

“Undoubtedly not as snug as I used to be in observe and coming in right here,” McIlroy mentioned. “But it surely’s good to get a card in your hand. It type of exposes the issues that you must work on.

“I bought it round and bought it in in a pair underneath, which is sweet, and didn’t put myself out of the event, which is the primary factor.”

Preston Summerhays, one other prime American novice who performed on the Walker Cup with Ford in 2023, shot 70 and was alongside McIlroy at 2 underneath.

Rahm, who performs on the Saudi breakaway LIV Golf circuit, shot 69 on his debut on the event. No. 8-ranked Viktor Hovland, who acknowledged this week he was going via a difficult time after tinkering together with his swing, shot 75.

Ford, who’s planning to show professional in Could, has performed thrice on the PGA Tour — on the RSM Traditional and Barbasol Championship throughout 2022-23 and the Arnold Palmer Invitational final 12 months.

At Bay Hill, he shot 1-under 71 in his first spherical however adopted it with an 83 to overlook the reduce.