While the only German participant plays solidly, Michael Kim steals the spotlight with a brilliant 64 in Dubai.
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, opened the tournament with a steady 70, finishing two under par. He began with a birdie on the third hole but was slowed by back-to-back bogeys on holes 4 and 5. He recovered well, playing the rest of the front nine cleanly and adding two more birdies. His back nine remained bogey-free, capped by a birdie on the 18th. Von Dellingshausen ended the day tied for 22nd, maintaining his 40th position in the Race to Dubai standings.
DP World Tour Championship: Kim takes the lead – McIlroy in contention
American Michael Kim tops the leaderboard after a flawless 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 complete a bogey-free round. His performance propelled him 34 spots up the projected Race to Dubai rankings, now sitting in fourth. Close behind is England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who also played a clean round, finishing with a 65 and 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
Sharing third place are Thriston Lawrence, Andy Sullivan, and Rory McIlroy, each carding a 66. Sullivan’s bogey-free round included six birdies. Lawrence, from South Africa, made seven birdies but was held back by a bogey on 17. McIlroy also posted seven birdies but dropped a shot on the fourth hole. Despite this, McIlroy remains atop the projected Race to Dubai standings.