Ras Al Khaimah Championship - Day one digest

Everything you need to know from day one at Al Hamra Golf Club.

Here is everything you need to know from day one at Al Hamra Golf Club.

Hisatsune's stunning start

DP World Tour Qualifying School graduate Ryo Hisatsune got off to a lightning-quick start on Thursday, opening his first round with six successive birdies. Playing his first event of the calendar year this week, he followed up that sensational run with further gains at the eighth, tenth and 15th before a dropped shot at the last meant he took a two-shot lead into day two. Speaking about the early birdie blitz, the 20-year-old from Japan said: "It was so unreal. I was just hitting shots, holing putts. Every time I made it. It was so amazing. It’s the first time I’ve had six birdies in a row."

Long makes good impression

It turns out Hurly Long does impersonations of the commentators, and he's pretty good at it. In his on-course interview, the German showed us his impression of Tim Barter in front of the man himself as well as impersonating John E Morgan.

Shinkwin's super save

Callum Shinkwin found himself in all kinds of trouble at the ninth hole but somehow managed to walk away with a par. The Englishman's tee-shot landed behind a tree and he was also out of position after his second shot, in the waste area a long way left of the green. He was perhaps fortunate, though, to finish up just right of a palm tree rather than behind it, and he made the most of that break, lifting his third shot to five feet to set up a brilliant par save.

Lorenzo-Vera's monster birdie putt

Mike Lorenzo-Vera managed to find the fringe of the green with his second shot at the 13th but he was a good 80 feet from the cup. He sent his enormous birdie try motoring towards the hole and watched it dive straight in for a bonus birdie.

Bunker brilliance from Meronk

Adrian Meronk was bunkered after his second shot at the par-five 14th but that did not stop him from making an eagle there. He holed his effort from the sand to kick-start his round after a slow start. Check this out...