The ruling concerns his actions behind the ball at Yas Links’ 12th hole. Following a video review, his score at the par four changed from six to eight. McIlroy said he accepted the penalty while denying any intention to improve his lie.
Laporta completed a bogey-free round at ten under par. He leads his nearest challengers, including Jon Rahm, by three strokes. These are opening-round standings, rather than the tournament’s final result.