The young UAE Golf team made a tentative start at the 24th Eisenhower team Championship in Puerto Rico.
Al Abbar finished his first round of the four-day Championship with an eight over par 80 on the Tom Fazio designed Ocean course at the Westin Rio Mar Country Club.
Rashid got off to a shaky start with a triple bogey seven at the second hole. But a good birdie at the par 5 fifth hole put him back into the round and an unbelievable eagle two at the par 4 sixth hole gave him an enormous lift to finish his front nine at three over par.
"I did not realise I had holed the shot until a spectator started shouting very loud that it was in the hole," said Al Abbar.
"The green is the most difficult one on both courses and to not use my putter was a nice feeling."
He was followed by the UAE's number one junior player Faris Al Mazrui, who like Al Abbar got off to a shaky start with a double bogey six at the first hole from the middle of the fairway.
"After the first hole, I played a lot of solid golf but a few wayward drives cost me dearly at the end of both nines," said Al Mazrui.
"I played with a new wedge that had I bought a couple of days ago and that certainly helped me at some crucial shots." The third member of the team, Khalid Yousuf, never really felt comfortable but managed to keep the ball in play returning a fifteen over par 87.
Round two sees the UAE team play the Greg Norman designed Palm course alongside the teams from Russia and Bahamas.
