Tiger stalking leader Goosen
Goosen was returning to competition here after enjoying a six-week seasonal break back home in South Africa. But it did not take the two-time US Open winner long to find his mark as he fired a tremendous eight-under par 64 under perfect playing conditions on the Majlis Course.
That gave him a share of the first-day lead alongside Richard Green, the Australian leftie who scored the biggest win of his career here in 1997, and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.
Darren Clarke and Damian McGrane head the Irish challenge, both shooting 68s.
Goosen, who moved up to world No 3 despite his inactivity, had a wobbly start from the ninth as he sought to get back into the groove, but an eagle at the par 5 13th did the trick and he went out in a scorching five-under 32. Three more birdies on the front nine brought him in with the clubhouse lead in a tournament he has yet to win despite several near misses. His rapid return to top form, he said, had surprised him.
“The last six weeks I had a good break. I played six rounds of golf in those six weeks,” he said. “I must say coming out I didn’t expect a lot.”
Green, who had eight birdies in his 64, said that coming back to play in Dubai brought great memories back from his win here nine years ago.
“Usually the practice rounds are a pretty good day just to sort of remember what happened. I had a few shots from where I was in the playoff and remembering I won just puts you in the right frame of mind for the week.”
Donaldson joined Goosen and Green at the top of the leaderboard despite his ongoing battles with a hereditary spinal deformity problem that requires him to do daily exercises in the gym.
The warmth of the Dubai sun, he said, was a help. “I do feel a lot freer when it is warmer,” he said. “I feel more comfortable and there is less a chance of me getting a problem with it.”
Woods, who has played in Dubai twice before and failed to win on both occasions, was paired with the in-form Swede Henrik Stenson and both came in with 67s, three off the pace. The American, playing his second tournament as a 30-year-old, got a tremendous start and was four under through four after sinking a 40-foot seven-iron chip for eagle-three at the third.
But a bogey six on the 10th when he pushed his drive under a tree and had to hit out sideways stopped his momentum and after birdies at the 11th and 13th he could only par his way home.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” he said. “But I didn’t really do anything after 10.”
Woods said he had been impressed with Stenson, who won in Qatar last week and was second in Abu Dhabi the week before that.
Reigning champion Ernie Els had a bad day with the putter but still had a bogey-free four-under 68, the same as playing partner Lee Westwood.
But it was a disappointing day for European No 1 Colin Montgomerie, who struggled to a two-over 74 after opening with an unrecognisable five-over 42 on the back nine.
The Scot may have been distracted though by having just finalised the financial settlement of his divorce from wife Eimaer which British press reports put at a £15m (€22m) one-off payment.
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