Henrik Stenson may not have put much practice in over the off-season but that did not stop him opening up a two-shot lead on day one of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Swede was playing in his first event of the season as he looked to follow up on a brilliant 2016 that saw him crowned Europe's number one for the second time and claim his first Major Championship at The Open, and he picked up where he left off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
A bogey-free 64 got him to eight under and handed him the lead ahead of three-time winner Martin Kaymer, Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, England's Oliver Fisher and Scot Marc Warren.
Stenson holds the course record in Abu Dhabi after shooting a 62 in 2006 and while he did not go that low, his brilliant form in round one will have given the rest of the field something to worry about.
He birdied the tenth and 12th and then spun a brilliant approach close on the 13th to get to three under. Even better was to follow as he chipped in from the front of the 14th for the shot of the day.
An approach to 12 feet on the 17th got him to five under and when he got on the par five 18th in two, two putts put him in a commanding position.
A run of six pars then gave the field the chance to close the gap but an excellent tee-shot on the par three seventh brought another birdie before Stenson sealed a closing gain on the ninth.
I'm delighted with that score. I think I scored a bit better than what I played - Henrik Stenson
"It must be the lack of practice that does it," he said. "Lack of sleep, lack of practice.
"I'm delighted with that score. I think I scored a bit better than what I played but I kept it under control somewhat and hit a couple of close iron shots and made the putts.
"It wasn't too much stress out there.
"I think if you finish off playing pretty well like I did at the Hero World Challenge, there's nothing that says you can't pick it up where you left it."
Course-specialist Kaymer has five top threes in ten appearances here and he finished his round with three birdies, including a brilliant up-and-down from a waste area on the eighth.
Warren made four birdies in five holes from the 16th in his 66 while Aphibarnrat was another man to go on a birdie run, picking up shots on the 16th and 17th before reeling off four in a row from the first.
Fisher turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey and came to life on the back nine, picking up shots on the 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th.
Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton and Frenchman Julien Quesne were then at five under, a shot clear of a large group including Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn, 2016 Challenge Tour winner Jordan L Smith, 2014 champion Pablo Larrazábal and 23-time Tour winner Lee Westwood.
