Dubai, UAE ….

It was advantage Francesco Molinari, and albeit by just one shot, on the opening day of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and the year’s final Rolex Series event in Dubai.

Molinari did bogey two of his four closing holes in a four-under par 68 and one fewer than Race to Dubai rival Tommy Fleetwood.

The duo of Spaniard Adrian Otaegui and Englishman Jordan Smith share the first round lead at Jumeirah Golf Estates after carding a pair of six under par rounds of 66.

Race to Dubai rivals set out on day one of the DP World Tour Championship. (Image – European Tour/Getty)

Fleetwood, and the defendig Race to Dubai Champion, needs a win this week to be in with a chance of retaining that crown, delighted the crowds with a birdie at the last for a bogey-free 69. He joined four-time Major champion and two-time Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy among a group of 12 players on three under par.

Molinari was sharing the lead thanks to six birdie in 14 holes before taking a bogey at the bogey at the 15th and then three-putted the last.

“I missed the pace on a couple of those putts and left myself more work to do than I needed to,” said Molinari.

“My game was okay, probably not my best, but putting and short game was very good up until the 14th, and that’s how I built the six-under score to that point.

“It was still fun. It’s only Thursday, so there are many things that can happen. It’s really too early. I think Tommy and I, we didn’t really hit the ball our best, but we managed to scramble well and put two solid rounds together.”