Jan 24, 2020: Thomas Pieters fired eight birdies in an impressive round of 67 to open up a one shot lead after day one of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The thicker rough and a testing wind made Emirates Golf Club a sterner challenge than in recent years, but the Belgian made a strong start as he chases his fifth European Tour win off the back of a tied 30th result last week in Abu Dhabi.
The 27-year-old was quickly the man to catch after starting on the tenth, making birdies on his opener, the 11th, 13th, 15th and 18th. A double bogey on the first knocked him back and when he followed it with a dropped shot on the next, he had gone from one in front to two behind. But the Ryder Cup star birdied the fifth and sixth before hitting a beautiful tee shot into the seventh for his third two of the round and a one shot lead.
American David Lipsky led the way early in the day with five birdies and a single dropped shot to get to four under par. He sits one shot clear of a large chasing pack that includes countryman Kurt Kitayama, Englishman Eddie Pepperell, Swede Robert Karlsson, and Dane Søren Kjeldsen, who made his 600th European Tour appearance last week.
Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau is at two under par after an opening round of 70 to sit a shot ahead of Major Champions Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen.
European Tour Release
