Rory McIlroy on Thursday opened up a sizable lead on Thriston Lawrence as he looks to close out a sixth Race to Dubai title.

European Ryder Cup teammates Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton hold a share of the lead through 18 holes in Dubai.

Rory McIlroy is already an overwhelming favorite to win the European tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title and he has just made his chances even better.

The Race to Dubai may be close to being over, but the quest for the 2024 DP World Tour Championship has just begun. Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy opened the European finale with a sizzling 5-under 67 to join his Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton atop the leaderboard after the first day of action.

The one glaring stain was yet another close call at a major championship, this time at Pinehurst No. 2 at the U.S. Open. McIlroy controlled the tournament on the back nine on Sunday but bogeyed three of his final four holes to allow Bryson DeChambeau to swoop in and win his second major title (2020 U.S. Open, Winged Foot).

Rory McIlroy finishes first day of DP World Tour Championship in a share of the lead with Tyrrell Hatton on five under par, six shots clear of Race to Dubai rival Thriston Lawrence; but McIlroy says b

When Rory McIlroy eventually retires from professional golf ... FedEx Cups, Players Championships, Ryder Cups, PGA Tour ‘signature events’ and DP World Tour ‘Race to Dubai’ money list victories have been mounting with remarkable consistency.