Rory McIlroy stares down tee-gate rival Patrick Reed as tensions heat up at the Dubai Desert Classic

World number one Rory McIlroy was photographed staring at his starting gate rival Patrick Reed at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Tension between the stars has dominated discussion in the early days of the tournament, with the pair exchanging taunts amid a broader spat over LIV golf’s separation from the PGA Tour.

Reed had been seen teeing off McIlroy on the driving range after being brushed off by the Northern Irishman, whom the American later branded an “immature little boy”.

Rory McIlroy was seen staring at Patrick Reed amid a war of words between the golfers.

Reed and McIlroy have met this week in the midst of the separation of LIV golf from the PGA Tour

McIlroy later claimed that he had given his rival a blank after the American’s lawyer served him with a subpoena on Christmas Eve.

The world number one stared at his rival on the green during the ongoing Dubai Desert Classic, before looking away.

The couple has put aside the dispute on the field during the first two rounds of the tournament, which have been affected by rain.

Both entered the clubhouse at eight under par at the midpoint of the event.

McIlroy has avoided being matched with Reed during the third round of the Dubai tournament

It opened up the possibility that McIlroy and Reed would be paired during the third round on Sunday.

The prospect faded with McIlroy leaving in a group with Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and England’s Dan Bradbury.

The trio will be in the group after Reed, who will complete his third round with Englishman Matt Wallace and Frenchman Julien Brun.

Reed had spoken about the possibility of being paired with McIlroy earlier this week, amid the dispute, and the American welcomed the prospect.

“That would be great,” Reed said. ‘I’ll tell you this a lot, there probably won’t be much to talk about.

‘Even if I said hello the first time, he won’t say anything. I can be respectful and as gentleman as he can be. The choice of him if he does not respond.

Henrik Stenson will play with Luke Donald, who replaced him as European Ryder Cup captain

McIlroy and Reed will look to close the gap to two shots on leaders Thomas Pieters of Belgium, England’s Richard Bland and American Michael Thorbjornsen on Sunday.

Round three has thrown up a potentially awkward pairing, with Henrik Stenson and Luke Donald teeing off with Tyrrell Hatton.

Stenson was dropped as captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup in July after the Swede accepted an offer in the region of £40m to defect to the Saudi-backed LIV golf series.

Donald was named captain to replace Stenson in August.