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.
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.
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.
“Just had everything going,” Kim said. “Drove it in the fairway enough times, and I hit my irons really great, and was able to roll some putts in.
“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.”
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.
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.
“I feel like it was a really good day,” Fleetwood said. “I didn’t think it was that easy. There are some really good scores out there. I thought there was some really demanding shots on that back nine, and I felt like I got into a really good rhythm. Drove it, like, as good as I’ve drove it all year. It was a really good driving day.
“Yeah, it was a really good score. Like I said, a lot of demanding shots and some pins were tucked away. I made two or three good par saves, which is key.
“I think you just try and continue to improve in every department of the game, and I think for sure, I’m on a really great run at the moment. My results have been really good. But I really think it’s consistency of like hard work in all areas, and you know, I’m very lucky with having great information from great people that are around me.”
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.
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