Lee Westwood produced the perfect response to his World Cup disappointment as defending champion Rory McIlroy carded his worst ever round in the DP World Tour Championship.
McIlroy has won the European Tour's season-finale twice and never finished worse than 11th in seven appearances at Jumeirah Golf Estates, with a 72 in 2010 his worst score in 28 rounds.
However, the world No. 2 could only manage an opening 75 on Thursday to lie joint 55th in the 60-man field, nine shots behind Ryder Cup teammate Westwood.
It took McIlroy 14 holes to register his first birdie of the day and although he swiftly added another on the next, the four-time major winner double-bogeyed the 16th after needing two attempts -- the second minus his right shoe and sock -- to play from the edge of a water hazard.