-5 J Luiten (Ned); -4 JS Olesen (Den); -3 V Perez(Fra), G De Leo( Ita ), F Schott(Ger), F Laporta(Ita), R McIlroy( NI )
Chosen others: -2 T Hatton(Eng); -1 D Hillier (NZ), J Rahm( Spa); E E Chacarra (Spa), M Wallace(Eng ); +2 E Ferguson (Sco), R Fox( NZ ), C Jarvis (SA), J Schaper (SA); +3 P Reed(United States); +4 T Fleetwood(Eng), A Rai(Eng)
Complete leaderboard
Rory McIlroy made a strong start to his quote for a record-equalling 8th Race to Dubai title with a three-under-par opening round at the DP World Tour Championship.
The world second, whose round consisted of 5 birdies and 2 bogeys in windy conditions, is 2 shots behind early leader Joost Luiten.
Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, who leads McIlroy by 533.93 points in the Race to Dubai standings – with 2,000 readily available to today’s winner – opened with a level-par 72, while third-placed American Patrick Reed had a hard time throughout a 75.
“I think it was a pretty fair score,” stated six-time significant winner McIlroy.
“I could probably stand here and argue that I could have been better, but I could probably stand here and argue that I could have been worse as well.
“I struck the ball well for the many part. It’s difficult, the wind makes it challenging. The course set-up is a bit harder than in previous years.
“The greens are not like Yas Links (in Abu Dhabi) last week. They’re not absolutely perfect, so you’ve got to have your patience a little bit on them too. Overall, happy with the score.”
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who is intending to match Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie’s record of 8 season-long crowns, birdied 2 of his opening 4 holes before injecting back at the 5th.
He birdied the seventh and 11th, and while he took 6 at the par-five 14th, he completed with a two-putt birdie 4 to end joint 3rd.
“You can’t win it on the first day, but you can certainly lose it,” included McIlroy.
“I played nicely, so there was never any threat of me shooting a bad one.
“It was possible today to go out there and shoot a couple over and feel like you were sort of out of the competition.
“To get off to a solid start was very important.”
Chacarra, who has actually won 3 times currently this season, completed his front 9 with 3 straight birdies to kip down two-under 34 however dropped chance ats 13 and 15 to lie 5 back of Luiten.
Rahm, who catapulted himself into contention recently in Abu Dhabi, by winning his very first competition considering that leaving LIV Golf, combined 4 birdies and 3 bogeys in an opening 71 to sit along with New Zealand’s Hillier.
Jarvis (+2 ), Schaper (+2 ), Fox (+2 ), Rai (+4) all have work to do, while England’s Tommy Fleetwood likewise had a hard time in an opening 76.
Dutchman Luiten, the lowest-ranked gamer in the field, kipped down 5 under however cancelled 2 birdies with 2 bogeys on the back 9 to choose a 67, one clear of Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen.
Discover more from PMN S.P.O.R.T.S - A PRIME MEDIA NETWORK BRAND
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
