Mcilroy Tightens Grip On Race To Dubai Title

DP World Tour Championship leaderboard

-8 M Kim (US); -7 T Fleetwood (Eng); -6 R McIlroy (NI), T Lawrence (SA), A Sullivan (Eng); -5 D Hillier (Aus), N Hojgaard (Den), B Robinson-Thompson (Eng)

Selected others: -4 L Canter (Eng), D Brown (Eng), J Rose (Eng), G Forrest (Sco), M Jordan (Eng), S Lowry (Ire); -3 R MacIntrye (Sco), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), C Syme (Sco)

Rory McIlroy made a assured commencement to his bid for a 4th consecutive Race to Dubai title pinch an accomplished opening information astatine nan DP World Tour Championship.

The Northern Irishman deed a six-under 66, leaving him joint-third and 2 strokes down leader Michael Kim successful nan United Arab Emirates.

McIlroy, who has a 767-point lead astatine nan apical of nan season-long rankings, opened his information pinch 3 consecutive birdies arsenic he intends for a seventh Race to Dubai title.

"I felt for illustration that was astir apt 1 of nan champion approach-play rounds I've had successful a agelong time. My wedge play felt really sharp. Had a batch of bully robust shots," said McIlroy.

"I don't want to sound for illustration I'm that disappointed but I consciousness for illustration I near a fewer retired there. I missed a mates of short ones.

"Overall, it was a really coagulated commencement connected a play people that I'm very comfortable connected and historically I've played very good on."

Only English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Marco Penge tin forestall McIlroy from winning nan season-long competition, formerly known arsenic nan European Tour's Order of Merit, but they beryllium joint-22nd and joint-46th respectively aft nan opening round.

McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood sits successful second, 1 changeable up connected seven-under-par.

The 2025 Tour Championship victor deed 5 birdies complete a six-hole agelong down nan backmost nine, helping him leapfrog McIlroy connected nan leaderboard.

"I consciousness for illustration it was a really bully day," said Fleetwood.

"I didn't deliberation it was that easy. There are immoderate really bully scores retired there. There were immoderate really demanding shots connected that backmost 9 and I felt for illustration I sewage into a really bully rhythm.

"Drove it arsenic bully arsenic I've drove it each year. It was a really bully driving day. I made 2 aliases 3 bully par saves, which is key."