Rory McIlroy’s got his sights set on making history in Dubai, and he’s off to a perfect start.
The world No. 3 fired a brilliant 5-under 67 on Thursday at the DP World Tour Championship, sharing the first-round lead with fellow Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton.
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Rory McIlroy
257
125
$90,989,348
It’s no surprise to see McIlroy playing well here – the Dubai course has been like a second home to him over the years.
But there’s more at stake than just another tournament win. McIlroy’s chasing his sixth Race to Dubai title, which would put him in legendary company alongside Seve Ballesteros.
The math is pretty simple: he just needs to finish 11th or better this week.
His closest challenger, Thriston Lawrence, had a rough day at the office, shooting 73 to sit tied for 37th in the 50-player field.
“I want to go on from here and win the golf tournament,” McIlroy said after his round. “I’ve opened up with a really good score, but I need to keep it going for three more days.”
He’s being careful not to count Lawrence out too early. “I’m under no illusion that that was probably Thriston’s worst day. If he goes out and has three good ones, I still need to go out there and play some very solid golf.”
It’s been a while since McIlroy’s last victory – his Wells Fargo Championship win back in May. He’s had some close calls since then, which led him to spend the past month fine-tuning his swing to make it more reliable under pressure.
The work seems to be paying off. He finished third last week in Abu Dhabi, and now he’s in prime position again.
For the next three rounds, he’ll be paired with Hatton, who’s been on fire lately with top-2 finishes in his last two European tour starts.
