Thomas Aiken got the 2010 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World underway, striking the opening tee shot at 7.30am.
Players were greeted by glorious sunshine for the first round of the season-ending event with the Official Starter with Rolex, Ivor Robson, announcing the first group of Aiken and Soren Hansen.
Alongside the first tee stood the gleaming trophies of The Ryder Cup, US Open, Open Championship, US PGA Championship and the Dubai World Championship as a celebration of golf and reminder of the magnificent season by European Tour Members.
They first groups were greeted on the first tee by European Tour Chief Operating Officer, Keith Waters and it wasn’t long before the first birdie of the day was on the board, Thomas Bjorn in the third group out getting the first red number on the board with a birdie on the first.
The players are going out in Race to Dubai order for the first round with the top two, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell, the last out at 12.30pm when the battle to be crowned European Number One commences.
