First round leaderboard:* -7: L Donald (Eng)* -6: M Warren (Sco), R McIlroy (NI)* -5: F Andersson Hed (Swe), P Harrington (Ire)Level: G McDowell (NI), F Molinari (It), I Poulter (Eng)Selected others -4: J Rose (Eng), N Colsaerts (Bel)* -3: P Hanson (Swe)* -1: P Lawrie (Sco), MA Jimenez (Sp)* +1: S Garcia (Sp)DUBAI - Luke Donald shot an impressive seven-under-par round of 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first day of the World Tour Championship in Dubai.The 34-year-old, who moved up to world number two after winning in Japan last week, had seven birdies and no bogeys.World number one Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut in Hong Kong last week, had five birdies on the back nine and is one of three players sharing second.Rory McIlroy is pleased after his first-round 66 leaves him one shot behind leader Luke Donald at the World Tour Championship in Dubai.Lee Westwood and former Open champion Padraig Harrington are five under.The final event of the European season, at the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course on the Jumeirah Golf Estates, is limited to the top 60 money-winners on the circuit this year, but only 56 were able to start.Thomas Bjorn and Retief Goosen are injured, Ross Fisher is preparing for next week’s PGA Tour qualifying school in California, and on Thursday morning Ireland’s Shane Lowry withdrew because of a virus that briefly led to him being put him on a drip in hospital.For the first time since the Ryder Cup at Medinah in September, all 12 members of the victorious European team are competing in the same field.McIlroy recovered superbly from some tricky situations, notably at the 18th after his drive found the creek down the left of the fairway.
