Graeme McDowell got his 2017 season off to a brilliant start to sit just two shots off the lead after the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The Northern Irishman is without a European Tour win since the second of his back-to-back wins at the Alstom Open de France in 2014 and has slipped to 91st in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The 2010 US Open champion admits the welcome distraction of starting a family has played its part in that but stated on his arrival at Doha Golf Club that he was determined to get back to his best in the new campaign.
An opening 66 saw glimpses of that form and he will head into round two just two shots behind Welshman Bradley Dredge.
"My expectations were fairly low, I suppose, coming in," he said. "My game felt a little bit rusty the last week or so and I was expecting tougher conditions.
"Now that I've got off to a good start, I've got to keep my expectations in check and not get too far ahead of myself and just keep calm and keep enjoying myself and stay patient and see what happens."
The expected high winds never arrived in the desert and McDowell was one of the players to take advantage, with 44 within five shots of the leader.
He birdied his first three holes after starting on the tenth and then added further gains on the 14th and 16th before a smart lay-up on the 18th saw him turn in 30.
I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow. It is only round one and a long way to go - Graeme McDowell
An approach to eight feet on the second handed him a two-shot lead but he missed a five-footer on the sixth for his only mistake of the day and Dredge and Mikko Korhonen moved past him in the afternoon.
"I was very happy with that," he said. "I think the front nine probably plays a little tougher than the back nine on this golf course.
"They were incredibly benign conditions for Doha. You don't typically get the wind this calm and it was nice to take advantage of it this morning. I hit some fairways and hit some really nice iron shots and made some putts.
"I felt like I left a few out there so it's always nice to post a low number and feel like you left a couple on the golf course. I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow. It is only round one and a long way to go."
