Stenson has no edge over rivals

Dubai : Regardless of spending his winter months in Dubai, Henrik Stenson says he hasn't seen the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates "anymore than he's seen in his own bed" in recent weeks.

With a score of three under in the first round of The Dubai World Championship yesterday — putting him tied for fifth in the leaderboard — many could be forgiven for thinking his winter residency and familiarity to the course has given him an edge over the field, but the 34-year-old Swede says otherwise.

"I came up here a month ago to try and play but couldn't get on the Earth Course. Then I went to China for the HSBC Champions in Shanghai. I got back and the course was closed for two and a half weeks. So I haven't seen it more than anyone else has."

Consecutive bogeys

Stenson, 52nd in the Race to Dubai and who stays in the emirate from October to February, managed six birdies, one of which nullified the pain of two consecutive bogeys on holes 15 and 16 — this followed an earlier bogey on the eighth.

"To finish under par on this course isn't a bad score at anytime," said Stenson of his first round. "To finish three under probably isn't significant at this stage of the competition, but it's always nice to put a good score in there early."

Illness has wreaked havoc with Stenson's season, closing the door to his narrow Ryder Cup selection chances and limiting his run of meeting potential to just a week at The Open where his share of third equalled his best ever finish in a Major.

As a result of his layoff Stenson said: "confidence is not very high - I can only try and commit to [improvements] in my swing. I felt I did that well today, that's my target for the rest of the week."

Stenson added, "I just want to keep fighting for the last three rounds of the season to end on a little bit of a high."

Scores

Leading first round:

65 - Robert Karlsson (SWE)

66 - Noh Seung-Yul (KOR)

67 - Martin Kaymer (GER)

68 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA)

69 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sergio Garcia (ESP), Alejandro Canizares (ESP), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Ian Poulter (ENG), Lee Westwood (ENG)

70 - Thomas Aiken (RSA), Gary Boyd (ENG), David Horsey (ENG), Rafael Jacquelin (FRA), Paul Casey (ENG), Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP)

71 - Robert-Jan Derksen (NED), Darren Clarke (NIR), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Brett Rumford (AUS), YE Yang (KOR), Ross Fisher (ENG), Rory McIlroy (NIR), Francesco Molinari (ITA)

72 - Gregory Bourdy (FRA), Simon Dyson (ENG), Marcus Fraser (AUT), Richard Green (AUS), Gregory Havret (FRA), Joost Luiten (NED), Alvaro Quiros (ESP), Graeme McDowell (NIR)

73 - Johan Edfors (SWE), Chris Wood (ENG), Richie Ramsay (SCO), Gareth Maybin (NIR), Simon Khan (ENG), Ignacio Garrido (ESP), Stephen Gallacher (SCO), Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) Ernie Els (RSA).