Friday 5 February 2016 14:11, UK
Alex Noren made the most of the morning conditions to fire a bogey-free 66 and hold a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
The Swede posted three birdies in a four-hole stretch late in his round at Emirates GC to move top of a bunched leaderboard, where defending champion Rory McIlory lies two shots off the pace.
Beginning on the back nine, Noren followed an opening-hole birdie with a gain at the 17th before picking up shots at the first, fourth and fifth to move alongside early pacesetter Brett Rumford at the top of the leaderboard.
Noren, who finished second behind McIlroy in last year's event, then added another birdie from close range at the sixth to set the clubhouse target at six under.
"I'm very happy," Noren said. "I hit a lot of good shots but a few bad shots and got away with it.
"When you do that and still can manage to shoot 66 then you have had a pretty good day, so I won't be complaining too much.
"I didn't really expect to be leading so it feels even better when that is the outcome. Hopefully I can keep it going for the rest of the week."
A final-hole bogey cost Peter Hanson a share of the lead after the Swede had raced in to contention with five birdies along the back nine, with a five-under 67 putting him tied for second with Rumford, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Trevor Fisher Jr.
Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, without a top-10 finish on the European Tour since 2011, had also briefly held the outright lead on six under after holing a long putt at the fourth, only to slip away over the closing holes.
A dropped shot at the next was followed by a three-putt double-bogey from 12 feet at the sixth, before he finished with back-to back bogeys to close a one-under 71.
McIlroy was part of an eight-way tie for sixth which also included three-time champion Ernie Els and the English trio of Chris Wood, Graeme Storm and Simon Dyson.
Amateur James Allan rattled in three gains from this opening four holes to join Graeme McDowell and Henrik Stenson on three under, with last year's Race to Dubai runner-up Danny Willett a further stroke back.
Watch the Dubai Desert Classic throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Second round coverage gets underway on Friday from 7.30am. Or watch from £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV
