Rory McIlroy has forged into a dominant position in the head-to-head duel with Marco Penge at the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai as the Masters champ seeks to be crowned European golf's king once again.

While McIlroy rolled in seven birdies in a six-under 66, Penge — the young pretender trying to overhaul the established superstar in the European tour's Race to Dubai standings — struggled to a 74 in the first round on Thursday.

Penge's birdie at the final hole meant he avoided being tied for last in the 52-player field in the final event of Europe's 2025 season, with the Englishman seeing close up just what it will take to get to McIlroy's level.

US golfer Michael Kim shot a bogey-free 64 to lead by one stroke from Tommy Fleetwood, whose strong end-of-season form — after

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