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By Kent Gray
Then there were two.

After 48 events in 29 countries, the season long Race to Dubai comes down to a four-round, two-man circumnavigation of Earth with Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood the only players still alive in the final sprint to be European No.1.

The Ryder Cup pals, nicknamed ‘Moliwood’ after their Ryder Cup heroics in Paris, are last off in Thursday’s opening round of the 10th DP World Tour Championship at 12.40pm on Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course.

Related: McIlroy jettisons Desert Swing;  may only play two European Tour events in 2019

The Race to Dubai title is Molinari’s to lose; Fleetwood needs victory and for his Italian pal to finish outside the top five to repeat as European No.1.

Molinari has yet to face the media at JGE which left Fleetwood to answer the inevitable question about whether there had been any banter between the pair in the lead up to the European Tour’s season finale.

“There was a little bit actually last week, but it was the first time I had really spoke about it. I think all of a sudden it’s came down to just us two that can win it, and those are the only two scenarios.

“We’ve literally never mentioned it until last week and then made a couple of jokes about it. It’s funny, like he’ll say, like it’s in my hands, and I’ll say it’s in his. That’s just how it will be.

“It’s a very good thing that we’ll be teeing off on Thursday together and sort of see that we have a chance. Great for us as friends. You know you’re going out there with sort of the person that you’re closest with on Tour, trying to win the biggest prize that we play for.

“So it’s a nice — it’s a nice thing, that, and like I say, if it doesn’t work out for me, I couldn’t be happier for him for what he’s achieved this year.”

Englishman Robert Rock, the last man to qualify for the 60-man event, will hit the opening tee shot at 7.40pm alongside countryman Matthew Southgate.

While only Molinari and Fleetwood can win the overall title, there is still some juicy pairings on Thursday with Americans Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed off 10 minutes before the marquee Moliwood two-ball.

Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Patrick Reed in practice Tuesday at JGE.

At 11:10am, Dubai-domiciled Rafa Cabrera Bello tees it up alongside big hitting Kiwi Ryan Fox, two pairings and 20 minutes before Sergio Garcia and Nedbank Challenge winner Lee Westwood.

Jon Rahm begins his DP World Tour Championship title defence at 11.50am alongside Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, 10 minutes before the popular Eddie Pepperell tees it up alongside Lucas Bjerregaad.

Reigning Omega Dubai Desert Classic champion Haotong Li and Ryder Cupper Alex Noren are next off at 12.10pm before Rory McIlroy and Thorbjørn Olesen share the tee at 12.20pm.

There is sure to be much interest in McIlroy’s performance with his new TaylorMade driver, but perhaps more so because of his decision to bypass next year’s Desert Swing in an apparent snub of the European Tour.

Thursday tee-times at the DP World Tour Championship (all 1st tee)
07:40: Robert ROCK, Matthew SOUTHGATE
07:50: Hideto TANIHARA, Joakim LAGERGREN
08:00: Lee SLATTERY, Darren FICHARDT
08:10: Joost LUITEN, Dean BURMESTER
08:20: Aaron RAI, Paul DUNNE
08:30: Danny WILLETT, Chris PAISLEY
08:40: Sam HORSFIELD, Martin KAYMER
08:50: Tom LEWIS, Marcus KINHULT
09:00: Mike LORENZO-VERA, Ashun WU
09:10: Wade ORMSBY, Jordan SMITH
09:25: Shane LOWRY, Lucas HERBERT
09:35: Mikko KORHONEN, Henrik STENSON
09:45: Dylan FRITTELLI, Erik VAN ROOYEN
09:55: Branden GRACE, Ian POULTER
10:05: Andrea PAVAN, Ross FISHER
10:15: Thomas DETRY, Andy SULLIVAN
10:25: Chris WOOD, Alexander LEVY
10:35: Thomas PIETERS, Shubhankar SHARMA
10:45: Adrian OTAEGUI, Jorge CAMPILLO
10:55: Brandon STONE, Matthew FITZPATRICK
11:10: Rafa CABRERA BELLO, Ryan FOX
11:20: Matt WALLACE, Alexander BJÖRK
11:30: Sergio GARCIA, Lee WESTWOOD
11:40: Kiradech APHIBARNRAT, Russell KNOX
11:50: Jon RAHM, Tyrrell HATTON
12:00: Lucas BJERREGAARD, Eddie PEPPERELL
12:10: Haotong LI, Alex NOREN
12:20: Thorbjørn OLESEN, Rory MCILROY
12:30: Xander SCHAUFFELE, Patrick REED
12:40: Tommy FLEETWOOD, Francesco MOLINARI