Watch: Rory McIlroy gets 'exhausted' after trying to keep his cool at 200mph around the Yas Marina

Rory McIlroy recently found out that staying calm at 200mph is no easy task. Ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Northern Irishman took a ride with professional race driver Francesco Pardini at Yas Marina and it left him visibly exhausted and buzzing.

McIlroy had only managed six hours of sleep after arriving in Abu Dhabi and admitted he was feeling jetlagged. But once the car hit over 200mph, his heart rate spiked past 100bpm. After a few laps he urged Pardini to push even harder and the excitement was clear on his face.

"I'm exhausted, I don't know about you. I'm buzzing after that, by the way, that was really cool," McIlroy said after the ride.

The ride came just before the $9 million DP World Tour event at Yas Links where McIlroy is chasing his seventh Order of Merit title. A win would bring him closer to matching Colin Montgomerie’s record.

Off the course, McIlroy is also invested in motorsport. He is a co-owner of the Alpine F1 team through Otro Capital, which he joined in October 2023 alongside Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Anthony Joshua. The group collectively holds a 24% stake in the team. While the car ride was exhilarating, McIlroy faced a tougher challenge on the golf course.

Rory McIlroy falls behind as leaders pull away at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Rory McIlroy had a frustrating Saturday at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship finishing the third round at 14-under-par, six shots behind leader Aaron Rai. Despite carding seven birdies against a single bogey the Masters Champion struggled to keep pace with the leaders.

"It seems like the last seven holes haven't really given me much this week. I made bogey on 14 trying to go for the green but finished well," McIlroy said.

He added that staying patient was difficult while trying to catch up to other players.

"Sometimes it is hard to stay patient when you're seeing all the guys behind you, 5-under through nine, and sort of you're trying to play catch up.”

McIlroy combined his 66, 6-under with opening rounds of 68 on Thursday and Friday to reach 14-under overall. Here’s a hole-by-hole look at his third-round performance:

Rory McIlroy – Hole-by-Hole Scorecard (Third Round)

Front 9:

• Hole 1, Par 4: 4 (par)
• Hole 2, Par 5: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 3, Par 4: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 4, Par 3: 3 (par)
• Hole 5, Par 4: 5 (par)
• Hole 6, Par 4: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 7, Par 5: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 8, Par 3: 3 (par)
• Hole 9, Par 4: 4 (par)
• Out: 34 (-2)

Back 9:

• Hole 10, Par 4: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 11, Par 5: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 12, Par 4: 4 (par)
• Hole 13, Par 3: 3 (par)
• Hole 14, Par 4: 5 (bogey)
• Hole 15, Par 4: 4 (par)
• Hole 16, Par 4: 4 (par)
• Hole 17, Par 3: 3 (par)
• Hole 18, Par 5: 4 (birdie)
• In: 34 (-2)

Total: 66 (6-under)

Heading into the final round, Rory McIlroy sits tied for 12th and will need a strong final round to stay in contention for the title.

Edited by Sonali Verma