Luke Donald holds a one-shot lead after the first round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai as Australian Marcus Fraser finds himself four strokes off the pace. Donald, though is riding something of a hot streak. After winning the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan last weekend, the Englishman showed he was the man to beat shooting a seven-under par 65 at the Jumeirah Golf Estates course on Thursday. The world number two birdied the fifth, seventh and eighth holes in a front nine of 33, before finishing off with birdies on the ninth, 10th, 13th and 14th in a bogey free round. World number one Rory McIlroy is tied for second with Spaniard Gonzalo Fdez-Castano and Scot Marc Warren, one stroke behind Donald. McIlroy only birdied the second hole on the front nine, but steamed home with five birdies coming home to stay with Donald. Six players are tied for fifth, shooting rounds of five-under 67, including Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Richie Ramsey, Louis Oosthuizen and Fredrik Hed-Andersson. The round was punctuated by a lack of bogeys with Harrington, Westwood and Warren the only round leaders to record a blemish. Ian Poulter and Greame McDowell, two players who were in form at the Australian Masters last week, both struggled their way to even an even par 72. Fraser was the only Australian in the field but he started poorly with a bogey, although a three-under 69 means he&aposs still in contention.
Author: Omnisport