Rory McIlroy was assessed a two-shot penalty after the first round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship on November 5, 2026, dropping him down the leaderboard. Italy's Francesco Laporta carded a 10-under-par 62 to take the early lead at the Emirates Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
The penalty stemmed from a rules infringement during McIlroy's opening round at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The Northern Irishman had been in contention before the sanction was applied.
Laporta's bogey-free round gave him a one-shot advantage over a group of challengers. Spain's Eugenio Chacarra was among those in the chasing pack.
The tournament is part of the European Tour schedule. Play continues through the weekend in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
