Rory McIlroy is tied for the lead after the first round at the World Tour Championship

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy was already a heavy favorite to win the European Tour’s Race to Dubai season title.

He made his chances even better on Thursday.

McIlroy shot a 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 would ensure McIlroy would win the points race — known as the Order of Merit — for the sixth time, joining the late Seve Ballesteros and moving two behind Colin Montgomerie’s record.

Thriston Lawrence, the South African runner-up in the Race to Dubai behind McIlroy, was the only player to catch the Northern Irishman and opened with a 73, leaving him six strokes behind his rival already.

“I’m not kidding that was Thriston’s worst day,” McIlroy said.

Lawrence has to win — nothing short is good enough — and McIlroy needs to finish tied at 11 or under.

Paul Waring, who won in Abu Dhabi last week in the first qualifying event of the year-end season, was alone in third place after American golfer Billy Horschel, who was tied for fourth place by seven points, also scored one goal. back.

No. 3-ranked McIlroy made six birdies, the highlight coming on the par-3 17th when he rolled the par-50 to join Hatton in the lead.

The par-5 final hole gave McIlroy a good chance to take the lead, especially after splitting the fairway. He dribbled his way to the right, missed the green at the third and narrowly missed his birdie attempt.

McIlroy was playing with Lawrence in the final set and said he was thinking more than what the South African was doing.

“I want to go on from here and win a golf tournament,” said McIlroy. “I opened with a very good score but I need to go out and play in the same way for the next three days.”