Organisers of the $5.2m World Golf Final now face an anxious time after the world's leading two golfers, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, were beaten in Tuesday's opening round at the Turkish resort of Belek.
World No. 1 McIlroy played his closing five holes on the Sultan Course in a horror seven-over par for an eventual round of a five-over par 75 to lose to American rival Matt Kuchar who shot a one-under par 70. It was both McIlroy and Kuchar's first competitive round of golf since last month's Ryder Cup.
McIlroy had WTA World No. 10 ranked girlfriend Caroline Wozinacki walking the course with him but it failed to lift the Northern Irishman. McIlroy had gone ahead at the first with a par but after Kuchar birdied the second that was the closest the he got to the current World No. 15. Kuchar made the turn two shots ahead and while McIlroy was one-under par from 10th to 14th holes, he finished triple bogey, double bogey, double bogey and par.
World No. 1 McIlroy played his closing five holes on the Sultan Course in a horror seven-over par for an eventual round of a five-over par 75 to lose to American rival Matt Kuchar who shot a one-under par 70. It was both McIlroy and Kuchar's first competitive round of golf since last month's Ryder Cup.
McIlroy had WTA World No. 10 ranked girlfriend Caroline Wozinacki walking the course with him but it failed to lift the Northern Irishman. McIlroy had gone ahead at the first with a par but after Kuchar birdied the second that was the closest the he got to the current World No. 15. Kuchar made the turn two shots ahead and while McIlroy was one-under par from 10th to 14th holes, he finished triple bogey, double bogey, double bogey and par.