ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — All-time champions Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Rowley lead the Abu Dhabi Championship in a five-way tie after posting an eight-under 64 in Thursday’s opening spherical.
The Ryder Cup star, who joins Frenchman Adrian Sadier, New Zealander Kazuma Kobori and South African Richard Stern, is the one participant within the area to additionally compete within the inaugural event in 2006.
Fleetwood, who gained the event in 2017 and 2018, had eight birdies within the no-spot spherical, whereas Lowry, the 2019 champion, had 9 birdies and one bogey.
“As we speak is Thursday. In fact you possibly can play your manner, however you possibly can’t win, however to begin at 8 underneath is very nice,” Fleetwood mentioned.
Sadier made 9 birdies in his first 16 holes and seemed like he would take the lead by the afternoon, however he dropped a shot on the seventeenth gap.
Stern had two eagles but additionally had quite a lot of bogeys, whereas Kobori had an ideal first spherical with one eagle and 6 birdies.
There have been seven gamers with a one-shot distinction. 65 was produced by Alex Nolen, Andy Sullivan, Nikolai von Dellingshausen, Nikolai Hujgaard, Keita Nakajima, Michael Kim, and Nacho Elvira.
Ludwig Oberg made a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth by hitting his tee shot a number of toes from the pin.
Nevertheless, he and Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy completed the spherical 4 strokes off the lead.
