Rory McIlroy made a dream start to the DP World Tour Championship, taking a share of the lead after the opening round in Dubai.
The Northern Irishman, a two-time winner at the event, holds a 1,758-point lead over Thriston Lawrence and needs to finish 11th or higher to guarantee top spot in the season-long standings for the third successive year.
He carded a five-under 67 in the first round, improving on his mixed results on the first nine to finish with six birdies and a lone bogey.
A brilliant long putt on the 17th topped off his impressive performance, giving him a share of the early advantage with Tyrrell Hatton, who held onto the lead by making par on the 18th.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his final round, McIlroy was asked if it bothered him that the media holds him to a higher standard during big events.
"Depends what day it is!" he said. "I think overall I have to take it as a compliment.
"It's a testament to the body of work that I've put in over the course of my 17 or 18-year career that I am held to such a high standard. And I want to live up to those standards too. It's not just everyone else. I fully expect to turn up to tournaments and have a chance to win every time. I'm under no illusions that I'm not going to win every time.
"But with how many chances I've given myself, especially this year, it feels like I probably should've won a couple of more times. But saying that, if I go on and have another three good days here and end the year with a win, I'll look back on 2024 pretty fondly.
"I thought I did well [on Thursday]. The golf course is playing a little bit tougher than it has done in previous years with how thick the rough is. I made some nice pars around the middle of the round when a couple of holes could have got away from me, and then I finished well with the birdies on 14 and 17."
Last week's Abu Dhabi Championship winner, Paul Waring, sits one shot back in third, while Billy Horschel and Adam Scott are among those to card a three-under 69.
Meanwhile, Lawrence, the only player who could catch McIlroy in the Race to Dubai, struggled on Thursday and sits six back after he finished one over on 73.
Scheffler leads after second round of Hero World Challenge
World number one Scottie Scheffler enjoyed a two-shot lead after the second round of the Hero World Challenge as he looks to defend the title.
The 28-year-old American made eight birdies in a bogey-free round to finish on 13 under at the Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas.
Scheffler was three shots back of Cameron Young after the first round of the event that has a field of 20 players and is hosted by Tiger Woods.
"[I was] just trying to keep my foot down on the pedal," said Scheffler.
"It was good. I did a lot of good things. The front nine was really nice and then the back nine I felt like I did some good things as well."
Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia are joint-second on 11 under, with Keegan Bradley two shots back and sitting in fourth place.
"I didn't feel like I had to grind on the majority of my birdie putts, a lot of them were tap-ins or whatnot," Thomas said.
"If I can just iron or wedge it just a little closer to the hole and get some putts to go in, I feel like I've got a really good round out there this weekend."
Sepp Straka and Im Sung-jae are tied for fifth place after shooting 68s, while Young, who was the leader after the opening day, slipped down to share 10th place.
Sidney Wolf to be inducted into Caribbean Golf Association's Hall of Fame
The Caribbean Golf Association (CGA)has announced the induction of Sidney Wolf into the CGA Hall of Fame. The ceremony recognizing Wolf’s decades-long dedication and significant contributions to the sport of golf in the Caribbean will take place prior to the PRGA’s 70th anniversary celebration gala on December 13 at 6pm at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Sidney Wolf has been a cornerstone of Caribbean golf since his first appearance at the Hoerman Cup in Jamaica in 1989. Serving as president of the CGA intermittently since 1995 and leading the Puerto Rico Golf Association (PRGA) for nearly three decades, Wolf has played a pivotal role in promoting and developing golf throughout the region.
Wolf's involvement with the CGA began as Vice President in 1995, supporting various presidents before stepping into the leadership role himself. Notably, in 2009, he initiated the process to establish the CGA Hall of Fame, further demonstrating his commitment to recognizing and celebrating excellence in Caribbean golf. His unwavering commitment has seen him attend nearly all CGA Championships and assist in conducting these events. His leadership has been instrumental in chairing and hosting numerous significant tournaments, including four Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (CAGCs), five Caribbean Junior Golf Championships (CAJGCs) in Puerto Rico, several CGA Classics in Puerto Rico, the United States, and the Dominican Republic, as well as two Caribbean Cups.
Beyond organizing events, Wolf has been crucial in securing attractive rates and packages, significantly reducing costs, and ensuring the CGA's financial stability. His fundraising efforts, particularly through securing raffle prizes, have bolstered the association’s financial health. Wolf has emphasized the importance of developing local talent in tournament administration and rules.
In recognition of his extensive contributions, Wolf's induction into the CGA Hall of Fame is a testament to his dedication to the sport. His achievements also include induction into the Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame and the PRGA Hall of Fame. He is a respected member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and has served on the USGA Regional Affairs committee since 1996.
Internationally, Wolf has made significant impacts as well. He chaired the World Amateur Team Championships in 2004, worked with the PGA TOUR Latin America and the PGA TOUR, and played a pivotal role in hosting the first USGA Championship outside the US mainland in 2022 and the Latin American Amateur Championship in 2023. He co-founded the Americas Golf Association and the Copa de las Americas and currently serves as Chairman of the Future Sites Committee for the International Golf Federation (IGF).
Reflecting on his career, Wolf credits the collaborative efforts of past CGA presidents and dedicated regional leaders for the association’s success. Despite the sacrifices and long hours, Wolf's service has always been about giving back to the sport he loves. His legacy is marked by relentless dedication, visionary leadership, and a profound impact on golf in the Caribbean and beyond.
Young delighted to 'feel like himself' after Hero World Challenge opening round
Cameron Young holds a two-shot lead after the first round of the Hero World Challenge, which is being hosted by Tiger Woods in the Bahamas.
The 27-year-old shot eight under par with no bogeys on Thursday, which gave him a lead over Justin Thomas, who birdied four of the last five holes.
Young is number 38 in the world rankings and was named the 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, but has not yet won a PGA title.
The American was understandably pleased with his start to the tournament.
"It's a nice thing to come out and just feel like yourself," he said.
"Really happy with it. I feel like with the driver I was just really comfortable and that's a huge key out here.
"I'm sure I missed a fairway or two, but for the most part I was really well in position. Then I made a couple putts early, which was nice."
Elsewhere, defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler is on five under through the first round, three shots back on Young.
Scheffler is tied with Ludvig Aberg, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay and Akshay Bhatia.
Woods, who is the host and a 15-time major winner, was forced to miss the tournament having been originally expected to take an exemption spot – the tournament itself features 20 of the world's top players.
While there was no official reason given for Woods' absence, a lengthy injury history has ensured a limited competition schedule in recent years.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
