Day one digest: AVIV Dubai Championship

Everything you need to know from day one at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Hansen hit the front, Rozner stayed hot on the Fire Course, a landmark day for a great Scot and a local hero made history in round one of the AVIV Dubai Championship.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday in the UAE.

Hansen hits the front

Almost a year on from his maiden European Tour win Joachim B. Hansen was back at the top of the leaderboard. The Dane won the Joburg Open 354 days ago and continued his fine November form at Jumeirah Golf Estates, carding a bogey free 63 to get to nine under and match his lowest European Tour round. “I loved it, no wind, perfect conditions and lovely to play in," he said. "I kept the ball in play, hit a lot of fairways in the first 14 holes but I holed the putts I needed, missed a few ones but you can’t hole them all. The greens are quite soft and they stop pretty quick when it’s not down grain so you’ve got a lot of opportunities when you’re hitting from the fairway." A win on Sunday would see him make it to the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and make it four Danish wins in ten events on the European Tour.

Rozner continues to dominate Dubai

Antoine Rozner continued his brilliant record on the Fire Course as he started the defence of his title with a bogey free 65. The Frenchman won his maiden European Tour trophy here just under 12 months ago and has since added another in the Middle East at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. He is 32 under for five rounds over the Fire Course having never shot over 70, and admits the layout suits him perfectly. “I just think every shot suits my eye here but you’ve still got to play well," he said. "My last few rounds including last year and my practice round this week, I’ve been playing really solid out here. I’m in good form and maybe being back here brings the good vibes in me and I’m just aggressive out here so it’s been good."

600 up for Stevie G

"It's not often golfers reach their goals," said Stephen Gallacher. Well the Scotsman certainly has achieved plenty of his. A four-time European Tour winner with victories at the Old Course and with his son on the bag sandwiching two victories at the Dubai Desert Classic, he also played a Ryder Cup on home soil. And at 7.30am on Thursday when he hit his opening tee shot at the tenth, the 47-year-old became the 14th player and fourth Scot to play in 600 European Tour events. It's been quite the career and it's nowhere near done yet. Congratulations Stevie.

Skaik makes history

Amateur Ahmad Skaik is the only player from the UAE in the field this week and he certainly looked very much at home. In carding a four under 68 on day one, he not only beat his own best round on Tour by eight shots but recorded the lowest ever European Tour round by an Emirati. "I'm very proud," he said. "I didn't think I was going to shoot that score so I am very, very happy. I still need to sink it in and maybe hopefully do better tomorrow." Well played, Ahmad.

Practice makes perfect

Every golfer has been burned by a missed putt but Dean Burmester gets burned by missing putts in practice. It's that sort of dedication that helps you shoot a 65 and sit just two off the lead.