Michael Kim shines with a bogey-free 64 to lead after Round 1 in Dubai, while Rory McIlroy remains in Race to Dubai contention.
The opening round of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the final playoff event of the DP World Tour, teed off on Thursday. Nicolai von Dellingshausen, the only German-speaking player in the field, delivered a solid performance with a 2-under-par 70. He opened with a birdie on the 3rd hole, but back-to-back bogeys on holes 4 and 5 slowed his momentum. He recovered with two more birdies on the front nine and added another on the 18th to finish T22 on the leaderboard. His position in the Race to Dubai standings remains unchanged at 40th.
Michael Kim takes the lead with flawless 64
American Michael Kim set the pace with an impressive bogey-free 64. The 32-year-old Texan, originally from Seoul, South Korea, carded three birdies on the front nine and added five more on the back to surge 34 spots up the projected Race to Dubai rankings, now sitting in fourth place. England’s Tommy Fleetwood trails by one shot after a clean 65 that included seven birdies.
Not bad for your first round at the Earth Course, @Mike_kim714 😉#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/mT6Lnxff4M
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 13, 2025
McIlroy, Lawrence and Sullivan tied for third
Rory McIlroy, Thriston Lawrence, and Andy Sullivan share third place after each carded a 66. Sullivan had a flawless round with six birdies, while Lawrence made seven birdies but dropped a shot on the 17th. McIlroy also made seven birdies but bogeyed the 4th hole. Despite the minor setback, McIlroy remains atop the projected Race to Dubai standings.
Marco Penge struggles in opening round
Marco Penge, who entered the tournament ranked second in the Race to Dubai,