Nobody could complain about the quality of the leaderboard when the Omega Dubai Desert Classic began - even before Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer had teed off.
Rory McIlroy, whose only European Tour win so far came at the Emirates Club two years ago, had four successive birdies around the turn to set the pace at six under par.
He already led by three from a group which included defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez, former World Number Two Sergio Garcia and 2004 Open Championship winner Todd Hamilton.
With a chance to move up from his current seventh place in the world to a career-high fourth, McIlroy had already birdied the 550 yard 13th - his fourth - and short 15th when he rolled in a 14 footer two holes later.
He completed a back-nine 33, four under, with an eight foot putt and then started the outward half with two more birdies from 22 and five feet.
Garcia's ninth place finish in Qatar last week was his best for almost a year, but he probably needed to be in the top two this weekend to climb into the game's top 64 and qualify for the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play in Arizona later this month.
Westwood, Kaymer and Woods - the world's top three in that order - had been put together as expected and were among the later starters on day one.
McIlroy, who opened with a 64 and led from start to finish two years ago, made it five birdies in a row when he hit two superb shots onto the green at the long third and two-putted.
With four to play he remained seven under, two ahead of Garcia, whose return to form continued with more birdies at the second and third.
