Michael Kim produced a brilliant burst of scoring on the back nine to lead by one shot after the first round of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship, as Rory McIlroy edged closer to a seventh Race to Dubai title.
Related: Penge relishing chance to take on McIlroy in season finale
Kim – the FedEx Open de France champion – made three birdies on the front nine on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, before putting his foot to the floor after the turn, firing five birdies in six holes from the tenth to set the early clubhouse target at eight under par.
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Making his first appearance at the season-ending event, Kim’s iron play was particularly impressive on Thursday as he got inside ten feet on 11 holes to give himself plenty of birdie chances.
None of the later starters were able to match or beat the American’s 64, with Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood his nearest challenger on seven under.
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Fleetwood posted a sparkling 65 to maintain the remarkable recent form that has seen him win his first PGA TOUR title to capture the FedExCup, play a key role in Europe’s historic away Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black win the DP World India Championship in the past three months.
The Englishman also went close at last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but lost out to Aaron Rai in a tense play-off on Sunday.
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Race to Dubai Rankings leader McIlroy sits in a tie for third one shot behind Fleetwood alongside Thriston Lawrence and Andy Sullivan as he aims to top the season-long rankings for the fourth season in a row and the seventh time overall.
Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton, the only players who came into the week with a chance of usurping McIlroy at the top of the Rankings, opened with rounds of 74 and 70, respectively.
Player quotes
Rory McIlroy: Got off to the perfect start, making three birdies in a row. Yeah, I felt like that was probably one of the best sort of approach play rounds I’ve had in a long time. My wedge play felt really sharp. Had a lot of good iron shots. I feel like I don’t want to sound like I’m that disappointed but I feel like I left a few out there. I missed a couple of short ones.
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.
I definitely I feel like I’ve made big strides in those two departments (wedge play and putting) in the game over the last few years. I finished in the top 5 in strokes gained putting on the PGA TOUR this year for the first time. Definitely I feel like my wedge play is a lot better, and you know, if I drive the ball well, then I give myself so many opportunities from inside 150.
And if that part of my game is sharp, you know, I feel like I give myself plenty of opportunities.I think that’s why when I do play well, I’m consistently up there.
Michael Kim: Just had everything going. Drove it in the fairway enough times, and I hit my irons really great, and was able to roll some putts in.
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My coach, Sean and I, worked a quick FaceTime session on Monday night, I guess, and worked really well. Happy to hit that many inside ten feet.
We get to go to fantastic different countries. The PGA TOUR mostly sticks inside the United States, which is great, but coming to places like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, France, and even India I went to. I personally really enjoy the travel. The competition is still great, and I thoroughly enjoy my time here.
