Thomas Pieters impressed in tough scoring conditions to grab a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Pieters carded eight birdies in a five-under 67 at a breezy Emirates Golf Club, where narrow fairways, thick rough and fast greens meant only 29 players broke par on Thursday.
The Belgian holds a narrow advantage over early starter David Lipsky, who carded an opening-round 68, while Eddie Pepperell is in the group two strokes off the pace and Bryson DeChambeau began his title defence with a two-under 70.
"I've been working really hard on my putting," Pieters told Sky Sports. "I just wanted to see some progress and I saw that today. Hopefully we can keep that up, but I know I'm hitting it well and I'm looking forward to the next three days."
Starting on the back nine, Pieters opened with successive birdies and posted further gains at the 13th, 15th and 18th to reach the turn in 32 and top of the leaderboard.
Pieters slipped back after following a double-bogey at the first with a dropped shot at the next, only to make three consecutive birdies from the fifth to set the clubhouse target.
Lipsky mixed five birdies with a sole blemish at the par-three fourth in the morning wave, while Shaun Norris held a two-shot lead until he triple-bogeyed the ninth - his final hole - to close out a three-under 69.
Pepperell finished with back-to-back birdies and Kurt Kitayama made a bogey-free start to the week to both join Norris in tied-third, as DeChambeau birdied his final hole to get within three of the lead.
Four bogeys in a five-hole stretch saw Matt Fitzpatrick sign for a two-over 74 and Tommy Fleetwood struggled to an opening-round 75, while last week's Abu Dhabi champion Lee Westwood failed to register a birdie in a six-over 78.
Watch the Omega Dubai Desert Classic throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from 7.30am on Sky Sports Golf.