Rory McIlroy expressed his satisfaction with having his closest rivals for the Race to Dubai title nearby after a solid start in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Thursday.
The Northern Irish golfer is currently leading the order of merit as he aims for his sixth Harry Vardon Trophy, holding a significant advantage of nearly 1,600 points as the season wraps up with two events remaining.
Due to the new DP World Tour Play-offs, the top three players will compete in the same group during the first two rounds of the exclusive 70-player event in Abu Dhabi.
This setup allowed McIlroy to monitor the performances of Thriston Lawrence, who is in second place, and third-placed Rasmus Hojgaard.
While the three didn’t perfectly match each other’s scores over the opening 18 holes, by the end of the round, they were closely grouped together.
At the end of Day 1, both McIlroy and Lawrence were tied for 18th place with scores of 5-under-par 67, while Hojgaard was one stroke ahead. This positioning gives McIlroy a favorable edge in the overall standings.
“I know if I have a strong week this week, it makes next week much easier,” McIlroy said, looking forward to the season finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
“Honestly, being paired with Thriston and Rasmus is nice because I can keep track of their progress as well.
“It’s been a great year for me, very consistent. I started well with a win in Dubai [at the Desert Classic] and missed a couple of opportunities too.
“But my consistency is why I’m in this position. I wanted to come to the Middle East these two weeks and finish the season the way it deserves.”
Before the tournament, Lawrence mentioned he still hoped to surpass McIlroy, suggesting that winning twice would be necessary to do so.
After his impressive 6-under-par opening round, Hojgaard said he remains focused despite the bigger picture.
“It’s a tough challenge, but these are significant events, and a lot can happen,” Hojgaard stated. “At the same time, it’s crucial to focus on my own game.”
The leading trio will be the last group out on the second day at Yas Links on Friday, with McIlroy, Lawrence, and Hojgaard scheduled to tee off at 11:50 am.
