With the Race to Dubai title in sight, Victor Perez jumped to an early lead at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after carding 5-under 67 Thursday at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
In the European Tour’s final event of the 2020 season, Perez recorded six birdies and one bogey during the first round to hold a one-shot lead after 18 holes. He gained the lead after carding his sixth birdie of the day on the par-3 17th.
Tied in second at 4 under are Matthew Fitzpatrick, Erik Van Rooyen and Robert MacIntyre after all carded 68s in the United Arab Emirates. Sitting T-5 at 3 under are Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer and Sami Valimaki. Patrick Reed and Lee Westwood are among the nine players to sit T-9 at 2 under.
If the season ended after Thursday’s first round, Victor Perez is primed to win both the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai. Entering this week’s event in Dubai, Reed sat in first place in Race to Dubai points. (2,427.7) followed by Fleetwood (1,967.7), Collin Morikawa (1,881.7), Westwood (1,783.0), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (1,717.7), respectively. Perez sat in sixth entering the tournament with 1,713.9 points.
“He’s a good putter.”
Yes he is. Perez is the new leader.#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/HcZs6Ckm19
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020
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