McIlroy and Lowry roar to top of leaderboard

Rory McIlroy made an early move for a fifth success this season in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, while good friend Shane Lowry finally looks set to secure that much sought after top-50 World Ranking.

McIlroy ended a six-week competitive absence with a sizzling first round of six under par 66 to join Lowry in an all-Ireland share of the lead at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The world No. 1, sporting blisters on his hands from nearly two weeks practice at the nearby Els Club, stamped his enormous class and domination of the Greg Norman designed Earth Course that has McIlroy a remarkable 80-under par in 21 rounds of the Tour’s curtain closing event.