Rory McIlroy: World No 2 delighted to ease back into action at Dubai Invitational

Rory McIlroy says he is happy to be making a “gentler” start to the DP World Tour season as he gets ready to tee it up at the first Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek on Thursday.

The world No 2 will play alongside Ryan Fox at 9.14am in the opening round, with two amateur players also part of their group.

The tournament is a fresh addition to the Tour schedule. It includes 60 pros playing alongside 60 amateurs for three of the four rounds. The final round will consist of professionals only.

It is the first of seven tournaments to be played in the region this year. It will be followed by the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club next weekend.

There are then tournaments in Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain and Qatar, while the Tour season reaches its climax in Abu Dhabi then Dubai in consecutive weeks in November.

The Creek has staged Tour golf before. Back in 1999 and 2000, the Desert Classic was played there.

McIlroy thinks the event will provide a friendly start to the campaign, as he gets ready to defend his Classic title a week later.

“I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks,” said McIlroy, who won his fifth Race to Dubai title in November at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“This is a different way to start the season than previous ones. Abu Dhabi is now at the end of the year, which is exciting, because another big tournament at the end of the season could decide the season-long race.

“This is a nice, maybe gentler introduction back into golf with this pro-am format this week at the Creek, and then obviously looking ahead to the Dubai Desert Classic next week also.”

McIlroy says he is happy to be meeting up with familiar faces this week, and not just among the pro ranks.

“I have a lot of friends in Dubai, and I know a lot