The unlikely trio of Richard Green, Retief Goosen and Jamie Donaldson powered their way into the lead after the opening round of the US$2.4 million Dubai Desert Classic yesterday to issue a timely reminder that the next three days' action will be as formidable and potentially hard to fathom. Australian journeyman Green, who won the event back in 1997 when it was held at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, was the early clubhouse leader when he returned an eight-under 72, a score that was later only matched by Europe's current number one, South African Goosen and the stylish Welshman Donaldson who is yet to win a European Tour event.
Two strokes back in second was local star Ross Bain who was tied for second place with England's David Lynn, while six players including world number one Tiger Woods and his playing partner Henrik Stenson were bunched in third place on five under.
Woods, who made a blistering start to his round with a birdie-eagle-birdie burst from the second hole, went off the boil after the turn and could only add two more birdies against a bogey on the par-five 10th. Green had won the Classic in a play-off and was delighted to find his name at the top of a star-studded leaderboard.
Donaldson, sporting a smart pair of pin-stripe golf trousers, was surprised to find he had tied for the lead despite a six-hole birdie-blitz. Goosen, who has not played in the Classic since 2000, produced a flawless round of golf for a share of the lead." Dubai-based Stenson admitted it was tough to get going after two sapping weeks of golf where he finished second in Abu Dhabi and won the Qatar Masters at Doha on Sunday. (Gulf News)
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