DP World Tour Championship LIVE scores: Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton lead in Dubai
Rory McIlroy drained a birdie bomb from 50 feet at the 17th to tie things up with Tyrrell Hatton at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Rory McIlroy | -5 |
Tyrrell Hatton | -5 |
Paul Waring | -4 |
Adam Scott | -3 |
Keita Nakajima | -3 |
Alex Fitzpatrick | -3 |
Matt Wallace | -3 |
Niklas Norgaard | -3 |
Billy Horschel | -3 |
Rikuya Hoshino | -3 |
Rory McIlroy is strolling serenely to a third straight Race to Dubai title and sixth overall after the first round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
McIlroy, 35, held a commanding lead atop the DP World Tour Rankings heading into this week where only South Africa's Thriston Lawrence could catch him in the Race to Dubai.
Lawrence needed to win the DP World Tour Championship and then hope McIlroy finished outside the top 10.
But there is no chance of that now as McIlroy has all-but wrapped things up as he bids to match the feat of late great Seve Ballesteros for six Harry Vardon trophies.
The Northern Irishman drained a birdie bomb from 50 feet on the par-3 17th to join England's Tyrrell Hatton out in front on 5-under par.
McIlroy's round included six birdies with a sole bogey coming on the par-4 5th.
Hatton's round included seven birdies with two bogeys.
Lawrence, on the other hand, stumbled to a lacklustre 1-over 73.
As the Race to Dubai stands right now, McIlroy would be crowned champion with Hatton in second and Lawrence in third.
Should McIlroy win the Race to Dubai as expected, he will also receive a bonus $2m prize.
Check out how much they are playing for at the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai this week.
Last week's winner in Abu Dhabi, Paul Waring, continued his impressive recent play by carding a 4-under 68 to lie solo third.
Seven players are then in a jogjam tie for fourth on 3-under par, comprising Billy Horschel, Niklas Norgaard, Matt Wallace, Alex Fitzpatrick, Rikuya Hoshino, Adam Scott and Keita Nakajima.
McIlroy will not just want to secure another Race to Dubai title this week, but he will also want to do it in style by winning the DP World Tour Championship for a joint-record third time in his career.
Jon Rahm currently holds the record of three wins at the DP World Tour Championship, but the LIV Golf star chose to bypass this week's event.
Despite not winning a major for a 10th straight season, four-time major champion McIlroy reflected on 2024 in front of reporters earlier this week.
While clearly still disappointed to have thrown away with the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau in June, the World No.3 did defend his Dubai Desert Classic title earlier in the season and he added two more wins on the PGA Tour at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Shane Lowry before winning a record fourth Wells Fargo Championship in his next start.
McIlroy revealed on Wednesday that he would grade his season 8/10.
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