{"id":15271,"date":"2025-11-14T10:53:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T08:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jhb-webdevelopers\/channelafrica\/news\/mcilroy-takes-first-step-forward-in-season-ending-dp-world-tour-championship\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:27:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:27:33","slug":"mcilroy-takes-first-step-forward-in-season-ending-dp-world-tour-championship","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/mcilroy-takes-first-step-forward-in-season-ending-dp-world-tour-championship\/","title":{"rendered":"McIlroy takes first step forward in season-ending DP World Tour Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">McIlroy was two shots behind American Michael Kim, who was bogey-free in a round of 64, and one behind the red-hot Tommy Fleetwood of England, who did not drop a shot as well in his round of 65.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">More importantly, the two players who still have a mathematical chance of beating McIlroy, England&#8217;s Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton, did not have the best starts and were lagging far behind. Penge, playing alongside McIlroy, opened with a two-over 74 to be tied 46th in the 52-man field, while Hatton finished on 70 and was tied 22nd.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;SABC&#8211;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\"><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/sabc-plus.com\/. 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