Rory McIlroy delivered a commanding performance in Dubai on Thursday, making his showdown with Marco Penge look decidedly one-sided on the first day of the season-ending World Tour Championship. While McIlroy surged with seven birdies on his way to a 6-under 66, Penge struggled to keep pace, stumbling to a 74 that left him near the bottom of the 52-player field.
Penge salvaged his day with a birdie on the 18th hole, avoiding a share of last place. But after watching McIlroy up close, the young Englishman—who entered the week hoping to chase down the Northern Irish star in the Race to Dubai standings—was reminded of the steep climb required to reach the top level of European golf.
American Michael Kim set the early pace with a bogey-free 64, giving him a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood. Fleetwood continued his late-season resurgence with a 65, backed by seven birdies and the same strong form that carried him to his first PGA Tour win and a standout Ryder Cup performance at Bethpage.
McIlroy finished the opening round tied for third with Andy Sullivan and Thriston Lawrence, putting himself firmly on track to claim Europe’s No. 1 ranking for the fourth straight year and the seventh time overall—just one shy of Colin Montgomerie’s record.
Penge entered the tournament second in the Race to Dubai standings, about 767 points back. To clinch the season title, he needs to win the event and hope McIlroy finishes outside of second place, or finish tied for second while McIlroy falls well down the leaderboard. After Thursday’s opening round, those scenarios appear increasingly unlikely.
McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam earlier this year by winning the Masters, looked sharp from the start. He opened with three straight birdies, draining two six-foot putts and then an 18-footer, while Penge—recovering from illness earlier in the week—faltered with five bogeys in a ten-hole stretch from the fifth. A mis-hit chip on the par-5 14th added to his troubles.
The birdie on the last hole softened the damage, but Penge still sits eight shots behind McIlroy heading into Friday’s second round. Tyrrell Hatton, who is third in the season standings and needs a miracle finish paired with a McIlroy collapse, opened with a 70 and finds himself six shots off the lead.