Fleetwood happy with opening day in Dubai

Tommy Fleetwood lies three shots off the lead after an opening day of extremely low scoring in the AVIV Dubai Championship.

Fleetwood carded eight birdies and two bogeys in a six-under-par 66 as 85 of the 114-man field broke par on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Denmark’s JB Hansen set the pace on nine under par, two shots ahead of defending champion Antoine Rozner, South Africa’s Dean Burmester and the English pair of Andy Sullivan and Paul Waring.

Fleetwood, who is bidding to become the fourth member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team after Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland to win a tournament since the record defeat at Whistling Straits, was part of a fiveway tie for sixth place.

“I drove it well,” Fleetwood said.

“I did a lot of very good things.

“There were a couple of sloppy things out there that you would rather not do, but overall off the tee I felt pretty confident.

“It’s scorable and you can see by the scores, but you’ve still got to go out there and do it.

“You’ve got to hit the shots and hole some putts so I’m happy with the start.”

Rozner shot 25 under par to win his maiden European Tour title here last year and a similar winning total looks like it will be necessary to make a successful defence.

“I just think every shot suits my eye here, but you’ve still got to play well, and my last few rounds – including last year – and my practice round this week, I’ve been playing really solid out here,” said Rozner, who also won the Qatar Masters earlier this year.

“I know I’ve played well here in the past so that gives me a bit of confidence, but at the end you just start over.”

Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher marked his 600th European Tour appearance with a round of 70 and said: “I felt it today on the first tee.

“It was nice to play with Padraig (Harrington) because we both got a card together back in 1995 after the Walker Cup so it was great to reminisce with him.

“It’s great to reach 600 as it means you’ve stood the test of time.”

David Law also carded a 70 while fellow Aberdonian Richie Ramsay is one shot further back.

Robert MacIntyre is five off the lead after an opening 68.

Grant Forrest is three under with a 69 and sits alongside Scott Jamieson.

David Drysdale shot a 71, Marc Warren a 73 and Connor Syme carded an opening 75.

● England’s Bronte Law and Georgia Hall lie two shots off the lead in the individual event heading into the final round of the Aramco Team Series in Jeddah.

Law hit a 64 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club to move alongside former Solheim Cup team-mate Hall on 11 under.

Hall, who shared the overnight lead with Germany’s Olivia Cowan, made two eagles, two birdies and two bogeys in an eventful 68, with Cowan leading the way on 13 under thanks to a 66.

The Englishman in action.