Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – Day one digest

Tommy Fleetwood matched the Yas Links course record to lead, Aaron Cockerill produced the first ace of the week and there was plenty to play for as the season heads towards an exciting climax.

Here is everything you need to know from the opening round at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Fleetwood leaves it late to lead

Fleetwood birdied the last to match Sami Välimäki's course-record 62 and hold a one-shot lead after the opening round. A ten-under-par effort gave Fleetwood a one-shot advantage over Denmark's Thorbjørn Olesen and American Johannes Veerman. Tied at the top heading to the 18th, a superb second to the par-five last did not get the deserved result as Fleetwood's ball rolled into a greenside bunker, but the Ryder Cup star held his nerve to convert from five feet for birdie and the outright lead. "I got off to a great start, I actually didn't feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I felt like I swung it better as we got into the back nine,” he said. "It was a lovely round of golf to play. Putted amazing, felt like I read the greens so well, beautiful pace control and hit a lot of perfect putts and started holing them. I'm just happy to have got off to a very good start."

Olesen and Veerman have plenty to play for

Veerman started the week 40th in The Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, with only the top 50 come the end of the week exempt for the DP World Tour Championship. Olesen is 18th at present but both are currently too low to earn one of ten PGA TOUR cards available to players not already exempt for 2025, while there are also places at Major Championships to be earned over the closing fortnight. “I don't think about it that much actually,” said Olesen. “I think the events are that big and that prestigious that winning one of these is huge. Obviously the PGA TOUR card would be great but I think the tournaments are big, and that's what you concentrate on.” Veerman added: “It's no secret, if you do well this week, there are things on line, like the Majors next year and PGA TOUR cards, and you just embrace it and you just take it one day at a time.”

Hatton exceeds expectations

Tyrrell Hatton exceeded his own expectations with an eight-under-par 64. Hatton is making his first appearance since winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship a month ago and admitted he expected to be rusty following a four-week break. But his game appeared in excellent shape, with ten birdies on his card. “It was a nice way to start the tournament,” said Hatton. “Especially after four weeks off, you don't really feel how you go but sometimes that's kind of nice. Expectations aren't high - well, they are high in my head in a weird way. But very happy with that and nice to see some putts go in, too.”

Cockerill goes from six to one in space of two holes

Aaron Cockerill enjoyed a highlight moment as he produced a hole-in-one at the 13th. The Canadian had turned in 33 but was in danger of letting a strong start slip when he made a double-bogey at the tenth and dropped another shot on the 12th. But an ace on the 159-yard next saw him return to three under for the day as his nine-iron landed slightly right of the pin before feeding down to the cup. Cockerill's ace meant he had a scorecard containing every number from one to six in his first 13 holes.

Söderberg shines

Sweden's Sebastian Söderberg finished second in this event last year and, with shots like these in his opening 66, he could well find himself contention again.