Dubai (AFP) — Rory McIlroy took a big first step towards capturing a seventh Order of Merit crown when he opened with a six-under par 66 round on Thursday in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

McIlroy was two shots behind American Michael Kim, who was bogey-free in a round of 64, and one behind the red-hot Tommy Fleetwood of England, who did not drop a shot as well in his round of 65.

More importantly, the two players who still have a mathematical chance of beating McIlroy — England’s Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton — did not have the best starts and were lagging far behind.

Penge, playing alongside McIlroy, opened with a two-over 74 to be tied 46th in the 52-man field, while Hatton finished on 70 and was tied 22nd.

“Got off to the perfect start, making three birdies in a row

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