Garcia storms up leaderboard in Dubai

Sergio Garcia charged through the field in Dubai today in only his second tournament round since post-Ryder Cup eye surgery.

The 32-year-old Spaniard, who had seven weeks off after his treatment to correct astigmatism, birdied four of his first five holes to move to three under par at the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

He had resumed joint 49th out of only 56, but was up to 21st spot only four behind leader Luke Donald.

Last year’s leading money-winner had opened with a bogey-free 65 for a one-stroke advantage over this season’s leading money-winner Rory McIlroy, Scot Marc Warren and Garcia’s compatriot Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

McIlroy and Donald are also first and second in the world following the Englishman’s victory at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan last Sunday, but they were not paired together today.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger made a good start, birdies at the first and third lifting him to two under, but England’s Richard Finch, at 228th in the world the lowest-ranked player taking part, was losing touch with the rest when bogeys at the seventh and eighth dropped him to six over.