McIlroy, Hatton tied for lead at World Tour Championship in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy was already an overwhelming favorite to win the European tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title.

He made his chances even better on Thursday.

McIlroy shot 5-under 67 and was tied for the lead with Tyrrell Hatton after the first round of the season-ending World Tour Championship.

A top-10 finish will guarantee McIlroy wins the year-long points race — formerly known as the Order of Merit — for the sixth time, tying with the late Seve Ballesteros and moving two behind Colin Montgomerie’s record haul.

Thriston Lawrence, the South African who is second in the Race to Dubai standings behind McIlroy, is the only player who can catch the Northern Irishman and opened with a 73, leaving him six strokes behind his rival already.

Lawrence has to win — nothing less is good enough — and then needs McIlroy to finish tied for 11th or lower.

Paul Waring, the winner in Abu Dhabi last week in the first event of the end-of-season playoffs, was alone in third place after a 68.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf