ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Former champions Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry were in a five-way tie for the lead at the Abu Dhabi Championship after opening rounds of 8-under 64s on Thursday.
The Ryder Cup stars led along with Frenchman Adrien Saddier, New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori and South African Richard Sterne — the only player in the field to have also contested the first event in 2006.
Fleetwood, who won the tournament in 2017 and 2018, made eight birdies in a spotless round while 2019 champion Lowry carded nine birdies and a single bogey.
“It’s Thursday. You can obviously play your way out of it, you can’t win it, but 8 under is a really nice way to start,” Fleetwood said.
Saddier threatened to move into a sole lead in the afternoon after nine birdies over his first 16 holes but dropped a shot on the 17th.
Sterne made two eagles but also had as many bogeys, while Kobori made an eagle and six birdies in a flawless first-round effort.
There were seven players one shot further back; Alex Noren, Andy Sullivan, Nicolai von Dellingshausen, Nicolai Højgaard, Keita Nakajima, Michael Kim and Nacho Elvira produced 65s.
Ludvig Åberg made a hole in one on the par-3 eighth, landing his tee shot a couple of feet from the pin.
However, he ended his round four shots off the lead along with Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy.