RORY MCILROY HAS made a strong start to his DP World Tour Championship title defence, shooting an opening round of 66 for a tie for third place.
The US Masters champion felt his wedge play clicked into gear during a round which left him two shots behind leader Michael Kim.
“That was probably one of the best approach play rounds I’ve had in a long time,” McIlroy said.
“My wedge play felt really sharp. I hit a lot of good iron shots. I don’t want to sound like I’m disappointed, but I feel like I left a few out there.
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“I missed a couple of short ones, but overall, it was a really solid start on a golf course that I’m very comfortable on, and historically, I’ve played very well on.”
McIlroy was also asked on Sky Sports Golf about the possibility of receiving a knighthood following a year in which he became the sixth golfer ever to secure the Career Grand Slam.
“If that were ever to happen, it would be an unbelievably massive honour,” McIlroy responded.
“That’s up to people a lot more powerful and important than me, but if it were to happen one day, it would be a very proud moment of my life.”
McIlroy made an excellent start to the day, finding three birdies in a row, before a bogey on the fourth stemmed his flow. Another birdie followed on the seventh.
An agonising 18th hole miss prevented McIlroy from improving on his six-under finish.
The miss leaves McIlroy one shot behind Tommy Fleetwood, who finished his day in second position.
American Kim holds the early lead: his sizzling 64 sees him sit eight-under atop the leaderboard.
Shane Lowry is also well placed after an opening round of 68.
The Irish man was four-under for the day, and is in a tie for ninth.
A good day looked as if it could have been a great day for Lowry after he birdied the first four holes of the course. Yet the pace settled down then as he hit par on all of the remaining holes except for a bogey on 12 and a birdie on the par-five 18th hole.
Elsewhere, Tom McKibbin finished his round on 70 after birdies on the fifth, seventh, 15th and 18th. He dropped shots on holes eight and nine.
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'It'd be an unbelievably massive honour': McIlroy open to being Sir Rory after Dubai progress
LAST UPDATE | 13 Nov 2025
RORY MCILROY HAS made a strong start to his DP World Tour Championship title defence, shooting an opening round of 66 for a tie for third place.
The US Masters champion felt his wedge play clicked into gear during a round which left him two shots behind leader Michael Kim.
“That was probably one of the best approach play rounds I’ve had in a long time,” McIlroy said.
“My wedge play felt really sharp. I hit a lot of good iron shots. I don’t want to sound like I’m disappointed, but I feel like I left a few out there.
“I missed a couple of short ones, but overall, it was a really solid start on a golf course that I’m very comfortable on, and historically, I’ve played very well on.”
McIlroy was also asked on Sky Sports Golf about the possibility of receiving a knighthood following a year in which he became the sixth golfer ever to secure the Career Grand Slam.
“If that were ever to happen, it would be an unbelievably massive honour,” McIlroy responded.
McIlroy made an excellent start to the day, finding three birdies in a row, before a bogey on the fourth stemmed his flow. Another birdie followed on the seventh.
An agonising 18th hole miss prevented McIlroy from improving on his six-under finish.
The miss leaves McIlroy one shot behind Tommy Fleetwood, who finished his day in second position.
American Kim holds the early lead: his sizzling 64 sees him sit eight-under atop the leaderboard.
Shane Lowry is also well placed after an opening round of 68.
The Irish man was four-under for the day, and is in a tie for ninth.
A good day looked as if it could have been a great day for Lowry after he birdied the first four holes of the course. Yet the pace settled down then as he hit par on all of the remaining holes except for a bogey on 12 and a birdie on the par-five 18th hole.
Elsewhere, Tom McKibbin finished his round on 70 after birdies on the fifth, seventh, 15th and 18th. He dropped shots on holes eight and nine.
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DP World Tour Championship Golf Rory Mcllroy Shane Lowry