Molinari leads on day 1 of Dubai Desert Classic

Dubai: Former Open Championship winner, Francesco Molinari takes surprise lead as the opening day of the Desert Classic comes to an end.

Molinari who is currently ranked 433^rd in the world races to the front finishing seven under par thanks to a triple birdie finish on his final three holes.

“I wasn’t expecting a score like that,” admitted Molinari. “My putting was the biggest difference to be honest.”

“I did a good job of staying in the moment. Like we always say, not get too flustered one way or the other.”

Fan favourite Rory McIlroy had a mixed opening round, finishing one over par. For much of the round he was steady rather than spectacular, keeping himself within reach despite not taking full advantage of scoring opportunities.

The defining moment of his round came on the 18th hole, where a misjudged chip found the water, resulting in a penalty and a costly double bogey to close. That late mistake turned what could have been a respectable under-par round into an over-par finish.

Tommy Fleetwood also opened his Desert Classic campaign one over par. His bogeys at the 14th, 16th, and 18th holes outweighing his birdie opportunities.

The score leaves Fleetwood off the early pace on the leaderboard, where several players under par are setting the standard in this Rolex Series event. Given his world ranking and recent form, he’ll be looking to bounce back tomorrow.

Shane Lowry got his tournament off to a good start with an opening round that saw him finish two under par. In a group that included fellow Ryder Cup stars, Lowry put himself in a good early position on the leaderboard compared with some of the bigger names.

His performance was all the more impressive coming on the back of a tough finish at last week’s Dubai Invitational, where a late double bogey denied him a win after holding the lead.

Tyrrell Hatton got off to a strong start in defence of his title, scoring two under par. That score put him well under par on a day when some of the stars around him struggled to make birdies, giving him a solid opening position on the leaderboard and a platform to build on for the rest of the tournament.

, Hatton managed to keep a steady rhythm throughout his round and avoid significant mistakes. That consistency early in the week is exactly what the defending champion would have been looking for.