Drive for show? That’s never the case with Rory McIlroy.

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The world No1 is leading the driving distance stat at the Dubai Desert Classic this year, averaging a massive 314.7 yards from the tee these last three days.

Korean Byeong-hun An is a surprise second at 313.8 yards, while two of the biggest hitters of the golf ball in the world – Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros – are third and fourth respectively at 311 and 304.2 yards.

Guess who is leading the greens in regulations? It’s the ever-solid Henrik Stenson, who has missed just four greens in three days, but has struggled with the putter and is way behind McIlroy at 10-under par.

Pablo Larrazabal, champion in Abu Dhabi last year, has gone down on his knees and popped the question to his girlfriend of 10 years, Gala Alten, on Christmas Day, and the couple have already zeroed in on a date to tie the knot – August 30 in Barcelona.

And the 33-year-old Larrazabal said the whole process was much easier than winning his third European Tour title in Abu Dhabi, where he beat Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson.

“It was easy to propose to Gala… much easier than the nerves I felt in Abu Dhabi last year in winning my third event on the European Tour because we have been together for over 10 years,” said the happy Larrazabal.

Young Tyrell Hatton saw the funnier side of a severe case of food poisoning. Something that he ate on Friday night did not agree with the 23-year-old Englishman from Marlow, who played the round with an upset stomach and could manage no better than an even-par 72. He later tweeted: “Tough day for me! Food poisoning doesn’t help that's for sure! Just happy I made it round with no accidents LOL!! Hope I’m better tmoz!”

Emirates NBD Bank have set up this little hitting area with nets in the championship village where they have a few professionals giving coaching to visitors.  Several fans have visited the area in the past few days, but none had bigger smiles than the few students of Rashid Centre for Special Needs, who tried hitting some balls and received instructions from the coaches.