Morikawa remains on course for historic Race to Dubai title
American shoots four under par 68 on opening day of DP World Tour Championship
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Collin Morikawa remains on course to become the first American to win the European Tour’s Race to Dubai title after opening with an impressive four under par 68 at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Three-time Race to Dubai champion, Rory McIlroy, had set the early pace with a scintillating seven under par 65 on the Earth course, but Morikawa began to hunt him down after holing a 15 footer from just off the green at the second, before a brilliant up and down from a fairway bunker at the third saw the youngster reach two under after three holes.
A tee shot to four feet at the sixth and a two putt birdie at the seventh edged him closer to the Northern Irishman, but a dropped a shot at the tenth moved him back to three under. Another excellent bunker shot set up a birdie at the 14th and he left himself ten feet at the next to sit just two back.
A disappointing three putt on the 17th saw him slip to four under and a tie for fifth, but he remains in pole position to lift the Harry Vardon trophy with the five other players in contention all below the five-time PGA Tour winner on the leaderboard.
“It was pretty solid throughout,” said Morikawa, who was paired with compatriot Billy Horschel. “Obviously the two bogeys were a little unenforced but I made a few birdies out there and kept the momentum going and it was a good way to start the first round out here.
“I felt really good coming into the week with my irons. They showed up today on a few shots and I hit a couple good 7-irons today and just need to keep doing that. That’s my game. And when putts start to drop, we’re close to the top of the leaderboard.”
Horschel, who is also aiming to become the first American to lift the season-long title, all but ruled himself out after a disappointing two over 74 at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The other four men who can win the title are Min Woo Lee, Matt Fitzpatrick, Paul Casey, and Tyrrell Hatton, but they would each need to win the Dubai finale, as well as see Morikawa struggle over the next three days.
