Joost Luiten is the surprise first-round leader of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after carding a five-under-par 67 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Thursday, 12 November 2026.

The Dutchman, who was the last player to qualify for the season-ending 50-man field, leads by one shot from Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, who signed for a four-under 68. Rory McIlroy, chasing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, is two shots back after an opening three-under 69.

Luiten hit the first tee shot of the tournament and set the pace from the start, making five birdies on the front nine to turn in 31. He dropped shots at the 11th and 12th, but recovered with birdies at the 13th and the par-five 18th to finish on five under, his lowest round on the Earth Course since 2016.

McIlroy keeps his title hopes alive

McIlroy, the world number two, mixed five birdies with two bogeys in breezy conditions. He opened with a birdie at the first, dropped a shot at the fifth after a three-putt, and picked up further birdies at the seventh and 11th before a bogey at the par-five 14th stalled his progress.

He finished strongly, though, hitting his approach at the last to within 15 feet and holing the birdie putt after his eagle attempt came up short. The birdie left him tied for third alongside Victor Perez, Gregorio De Leo, Freddy Schott and Francesco Laporta, two shots behind Luiten.

McIlroy needs to finish fourth or better on his own to have a chance of overtaking Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra and matching Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight Order of Merit titles. Chacarra, who leads McIlroy by 533.93 points in the season-long standings, opened with a level-par 72 and sits five shots off the lead.

Three rounds still to play

Nine players began the week with a mathematical chance of winning the Race to Dubai, with 2,000 points on offer to the tournament winner, but the early running has been made by two of the less fancied names in the field. Luiten arrived in Dubai ranked 56th in the standings, while Olesen birdied his final hole to move into second on his own.

Tyrrell Hatton is among the group at two under after a 70, while only 22 of the 50 players finished the opening round under par on a testing day in the desert wind.

The second round begins on Friday morning, with McIlroy chasing down Luiten while keeping a close eye on Chacarra’s response. With 54 holes still to play, the season-long title race remains wide open.

Sources: Golf Digest Middle East, GolfMagic