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Rory McIlroy claimed a share of the lead on day one of the DP World Tour Championship to further tighten his grip on a sixth Race to Dubai title.
McIlroy carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in an opening 67 matched by Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton, with England’s Paul Waring, who won in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, a shot off the pace.
Thriston Lawrence is the only player who can stop McIlroy topping the money list for the third year running by winning the season-ending event, and even that would not be enough if McIlroy finishes 11th or better in the 50-man field.
Playing alongside McIlroy in the first round at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Lawrence could only manage an opening 73.
“I thought I did well,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “The golf course is playing a little bit tougher than it has done in previous years with how thick the rough is.
“I got my ball in play pretty well for the most part and when I didn’t I felt like I was pretty smart in getting it back in play or missing it on the right side.
“I made some nice pars around the middle of the round when a couple of holes could have got away from me and then I finished well with the birdies on 14 and 17.”
McIlroy has won two individual titles in 2024, as well as the Zurich Classic team event with Shane Lowry, but admitted failing to claim a long overdue fifth major title in the US Open still “stings” and gave his season a B grade overall.
“With how many chances I’ve given myself, especially this year, it feels like I probably should have won a couple more times,” McIlroy added.
“But saying that, if I go on and have another three good days here and end the year with a win, I’ll look back on 2024 pretty fondly.”
Hatton, who won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October and finished runner-up to Waring in Abu Dhabi, carded seven birdies and two bogeys in his 67.
“To be honest I feel like the score was better than it felt,” Hatton said.
“I felt like I was tinkering over most tee shots and felt my misses were bigger than they have been over the last month or so, but at the end of the day to shoot five under I guess you have to play fairly solid golf.
“In my head I don’t really know what that is, but here we are.”
