Rory McIlroy takes the lead at DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy made a stunning start to take a two-shot lead as the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship got underway at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai on Thursday.

The Race to Dubai’s top-50 players took to the Earth Course for the final Rolex Series event of the season where they will compete for a share of the $9 million prize pot and the chance to be crowned European Number One.

Among those to impress was McIlroy, who has previously won this event twice before.

The Northern Irishman struck an eagle on the second and made four of his six birdies in the first nine on route to 65.

He closed with a birdie on the 18th with his only blemish being a bogey on the 9th.

Rory 🤝 Earth course #DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/DZRZvZwYDK

— DP World Tour Championship (@dpwtc) November 18, 2021