Sergio Garcia fired a brilliant opening 65 to set the clubhouse target on day one of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The Spaniard's last European Tour victory came on the Desert Swing at the 2014 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and he was once again making himself at home in the Middle East.
Garcia recorded a stunning eagle on the third to go with six birdies and a single bogey to get to seven under and open up a one-shot lead over Chile's Felipe Aguilar and South African George Coetzee.
Ian Poulter was then in the group at five under alongside Nino Bertasio, Nacho Elvira and David Lipsky but it was a day to forget for 14-time Major Championship winner Tiger Woods.
The American drew huge crowds at Emirates Golf Club but struggled to a five over par 77, which was summed up when his approach with a wedge into the 18th found the water for one of his five bogeys.
Garcia made birdies on the tenth and 12th before an excellent tee-shot allowed him to birdie the 17th and he took advantage of the par five next.
Another birdie followed on the second before the 37 year old produced the shot of the day so far on the par five third, putting his second shot to four feet and setting up an eagle.
His tee-shot on the fourth looked certain to set up another gain but he missed a short putt before bouncing back with a birdie on the fifth that put him three shots clear. A dropped shot on the eighth then took the gloss of the round.
Coetzee recovered from a bogey on the first with birdies on the third, fourth, eighth, tenth, 13th, 16th and 17th in his 66, while Aguilar was bogey-free with gains on the third, fourth, seventh, 11th, 13th and 16th.
American Lipsky was the big early mover, making birdies on his first four holes and, while he dropped a shot on the ninth, he bounced back with birdies on the tenth, 12th and 13th before recording a bogey on the 15th.
England's Poulter was already one under when he rolled in a monster putt at the 15th and he got up and down from the rough on the next to get within one of the lead. He took advantage of the 18th but then reeled off eight pars in a row before closing with a birdie.
Bertasio had birdies on the first, third, eighth and 13th, and the Italian bounced back from a bogey on the 15th with gains on the 16th and last.
Spaniard Elvira also had a single bogey on the 12th with birdies on the first, second, third, ninth, 13th and 17th.
Dubai-based Indian amateur Rayhan Thomas fired a 68 that put him in some elite company at the age of 17, with Open champion Henrik Stenson, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Spaniard Jorge Campillo all at four under.
Defending champion Danny Willett began his week with a one under par 71.
