Rory McIlroy with "the best shot of my year" opens with -8 64 at DP World Tour Championship

European Tour.. DP World Tour Championship leaderboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/dp-world-tour-championship-dubai-2019/leaderboard?round=1

Rory McIlroy hit 5 drives over 350 yards today but none of them matched what he described as " the best shot of my year"

After another bomb off the tee on the 645yd par 518th he was 291 yards into the narrow neck of the green, he flushed a 3 wood, straight as an arrow, landing perfectly and rolling exactly pin high 4 feet from the hole. He made the eagle putt to put the icing on a 31 out, 33 in, -8 64. 7 birdies, an eagle with just 1 bogey, just a masterclass, on a day of outstanding play by the top 50 players on the European Tour.

He can't win the Race to Dubai, but is the favourite to scoop the biggest first prize in history, $3m US.

Rory shared that when he arrived home from his win at the WGC HSBC in China into their new house in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, his wife Erica had called in the workmen to build a spectacular trophy case for all of his hardware, which he said " motivated me to push on to do more" 

Rory sold his previous home for $11.5 million and bought Ernie Els 17,000 square foot home on the very exclusive Bear Club.

Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera suffering from a lung infection he picked up in South Africa said "today everything clicked" on his way to a career low -9 63 for the lead. Again, another guy who plays his best when sick!

Big Jon Rahm coming off a 2 month break is one of 5 players who can win the Race to Dubai, started slowly, and closed beautifully with -6 66. Young Engishman Tom Lewis was out early with the clubhouse lead -5 67 T3 with last week's winner at Sun City, Tommy Fleetwood who holed out from the fairway at his first for eagle and had another terrific performance for his 67.

Race to Dubai leader Bernd Weisberger ground out a -2 70.

Playing under overcast skies, without a breath of wind on this Earth course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates, only 18 players were over par. 

Here are the Race to Dubai Rankings https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/rankings/race-to-dubai/rankings/ and you can see who the top 5 are who can win.

Bryan Angus