Darren Clarke leads the Irish challenge after today's first round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
The Ulsterman fired a two-under-par 70 and trails Scotland's Alastair Forsyth by five shots.
Clarke started brightly with a birdie four on the third but dropped a shot with bogey on the eighth. He regained his composure on the back nine and birdied 10 and 18.
Forsyth fired a seven-under-par 65 to set the first-round pace but defending champion and world number two Ernie Els is lurking just one shot behind.
Els quickly stamped his authority on the tournament by birdieing three of his first four holes en route to a first round six-under-par 66.
Dubliner Padraig Harrington, troubled with neck and shoulder injuries, fired a one-over-par 73.
Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley is joined by Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy on level par while Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is two-over after shooting four bogeys and two birdies in his opening round.