Rory McIlroy insists he has "unfinished business" at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as he bids to banish the memory of last year's near-miss when he gets his 2023 campaign under way this week.
Emirates Golf Club has been a happy hunting ground for the Northern Irishman, who won this event in 2009 and 2015, but the way he finished his final round 12 months ago left a sour taste.
McIlroy had been firmly in contention on the back nine before finding the water at the 18th to surrender a bogey there and miss out on a play-off by one shot.
And even though the World Number One bounced back from that disappointment to top the season-long Rankings, lifting the Harry Vardon Trophy on his last visit to Dubai in November, he is keen to erase the memory altogether with a strong performance in his first event of the year.
He said: "It's really nice to be back. I've had a lot of great memories here and success over the years at the Emirates but feel like I have a little bit of unfinished business with how the tournament ended for me last year here.
"It wasn't quite the way I wanted to finish it off. But I went on from that week and played really well and had a great year.
"It's been nice to try to take a little bit of time away, and try to sort of distance myself from the game of golf for at least a month or two, and sort of recharge and reset and try to start 2023 with renewed optimism and a sort of full tank and ready to go.
"I'm sure there will be a little bit of rust to start the week but hopefully I can shake that off. I've got a great record here, so I have great confidence in that."
As well as his two victories, McIlroy has seven other top-ten finishes to his name in this event and he revealed he feels comfortable there.
Speaking ahead of the second Rolex Series event of the season, he added: "I first played this tournament in 2006. So I've been coming here for a long time, 17 years. I've got a level of comfort here.
"I like starting my year here. I have a lot of friends. I called this place home for four years.
"I like it. I get great support here with the crowds that come out.
"You play competitively around a golf course for such a long time, it just feels automatic, where you hit your tee shots, where you remember certain things about certain shots and different putts and all those things play into it.
"Yeah, just a real level of comfort."
