Rory McIlroy ties the lead after making a strong start at DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy is tied for the lead after an impressive opening round at the season ending DP World Tour Championship in Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

McIlroy is seeking his third successive Race to Dubai victory and can only be unseated should his closest pursuer Thriston Lawrence win the tournament with McIlroy himself failing to place inside the top-11.

The first round today saw McIlroy tighten his grip further on the overall standings, as he carded a five-under-par 67 to sit at the top of the leaderboard alongside the in-form Tyrrell Hatton.

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One stroke further back is Hatton's compatriot Paul Waring, who won his second European Tour event in fine fashion at the Abu Dhabi Championship last weekend.

Tournament favourite McIlroy - who won the event in 2012 and 2015 - registered six birdies over the course of his round, with just one dropped stroke after finding the sand at the fifth.

Reigning Alfred Dunhill champion Hatton was first into the clubhouse on -5 after recording seven birdies in total.

McIlroy, -4 thru 16, drained a 48ft putt for birdie on the par-3 17th but missed an opportunity to take the outright lead on the last, his effort on the long 18th slipping by, the only par-5 on which he failed to make birdie.

South Africa's Lawrence, playing alongside McIlroy, made an underwhelming start, registering four bogeys in the course of a one-over par round 73.

Shane Lowry is four shots off the leading pair and tied-20th after a solid opening round.

Lowry, who teed off in the final group at last week's Abu Dhabi Championship before fading over the closing holes, carded a one-under 71, with two birdies and one bogey recorded during a steady round.

The 2019 Open champion birdied the par-5 seventh hole and the