Tyrell Hatton is among several elite golfers playing this week at the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic. He was joined by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood, among others in the field.

But before suffering that freak injury, Hovland parted ways with his swing coach, Joe Mayo, for the second time in 15 months. The two initially separated a few months after Hovland won the FedEx Cup in August 2023 but then re-kindled at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland have missed the cut and Rory McIlroy was forced to battle to make the weekend as the headline acts struggled at the Dubai Desert Classic.

With the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, the US PGA at his beloved Quail Hollow, and a blockbuster of a Ryder Cup to be held in New York, 2025 threatens to be a huge year for Rory McIlroy

Viktor Hovland has rocked up at this week's Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour with a new golf swing coach, TJ Yeaton. Hovland, 27, confirmed two weeks ago that he had split with his long-time golf coach Joe Mayo for a second time in the space of 12 months.

For a spell on Friday afternoon the organisers of the Dubai Desert Classic had cause for panic. Jon Rahm had already tumbled out of the tournament after 36 holes, Viktor Hovland was heading the same way and Rory McIlroy was dangerously close to the cut line.

Tyrell Hatton is among several elite golfers playing this week at the DP World Tour's Dubai Desert Classic. He was joined by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood, among others in the field. Thus far, the conditions have beaten down many of the world's best.

Rory McIlroy will need a spectacular weekend to win a third straight Dubai Desert Classic title after slipping nine shots behind halfway leader Ewen Ferguson on Friday, while Jon Rahm missed the cut.

Rahm hit an amazing bunker shot Thursday but couldn't get it going Friday, as he was 4 over during a seven-hole stretch on the back nine.

Jon Rahm missed the cut and Rory McIlroy was forced to battle to make the weekend as the headline acts struggled at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The Dubai Desert Classic featured a strong field before the opening round, but a number of top names will not be involved at the weekend after poor

Ewen Ferguson has the lead through two rounds at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and that shouldn't be much of a surprise to many. How the three-time DP World Tour winner grabbed that lead on Day 2, however, was quite a shock. Particularly to the announcers in the booth.