Hansen out in front

Dane Anders Hansen set a strong early pace on a blustery opening morning of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.

Despite strong early morning wind whipping sand across the Majlis Course, Hansen picked up three birdies over his opening five holes to top the leaderboard by one stroke ahead of Italian World Cup winner Francesco Molinari.

Hansen, who posted the last of his three wins at the 2009 Joburg Open, currently sits sixth in the Race to Dubai after recording back-to-back third -laced finishes in South Africa at the start of the season before posting a third top 10 in Abu Dhabi.

The 39-year-old struggled in Doha last week and posted just one under par round, but after picking up a first birdie of the day at his second hole, added back-to-back birdies to top the early leaderboard.

Molinari, who missed the cut in Qatar last week after finishing 13th in Abu Dhabi, cancelled out a first hole gain, but two birdies in three holes moved the Italian to two-under-par and ahead of a host of players at one-under-par.

South African Open Championship winner Richie Ramsay, fellow Scot Paul Lawrie and Michael Hoey had all briefly moved onto two-under-par just as Hansen made his move all slipped back alongside Charl Schwartzel, Darren Clarke, Brett Rumford and Ross Fisher in the group two shots off the pace.

South African Schwartzel leads the Race to Dubai after winning the Africa Open and Joburg Open in successive weeks before finishing 14th in Qatar last week.