While McIlroy scored seven birdies in a 6-under 66, Penge – the young player trying to better the established superstar in the European tour’s Race to Dubai rankings – struggled to a 74 in the first round on Thursday.
Penge’s birdie at number 18 meant he avoided being last in the 52-player field in the final event of the 2025 European season, with the Englishman seeing first-hand what it takes to reach McIlroy’s level.
American Michael Kim shot a bogey-free 64 to lead by one stroke from Tommy Fleetwood, whose strong late-season form – after winning for the first time on the PGA Tour and then starring in the European Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage – continued on the Earth Course with seven birdies and no bogeys in his 65.
McIlroy was tied for third place, along with Andy Sullivan and Thriston Lawrence, and looks set to be crowned Europe’s No. 1 for the fourth year in a row and the seventh time in his career. That would give him a record of Colin Montgomerie’s record.
Penge sits second in the Race to Dubai standings, some 767 points behind McIlroy. To land McIlroy, Penge – a three-time winner of the tour this year – needs to win and hope that McIlroy finishes worse than just second, or ends up tied for second and the Northern Irishman is at the bottom of the leaderboard.
None of these scenarios seem likely at the moment, with McIlroy displaying all the weapons – namely the big drives, brilliant iron play and improved putting – that helped him complete the Grand Slam career this year by winning the Masters.
“I thought it was one of the best approach play rounds I’ve had in a long time,” McIlroy said.
He rolled in two six-footers and then a putt from 18 feet for birdies on his first three holes and stayed strong when Penge, who suffered a bout of illness early in the week that hampered his preparations, began to falter.
He made five bogeys in a 10-hole run from No. 5, the last of which came at the par-5 14th after he duffed a chip from the middle of the fairway.
The birdie on the final hole left Penge eight shots behind McIlroy.
Tyrrell Hatton, who sits third in the Race to Dubai standings, needs to win to have a chance of an unlikely title, while McIlroy also needs to finish worse than joint eighth with one other player. Hatton opened with a 70 and was six shots off the pace.
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