Golf:If Graeme McDowell is going to be crowned Europe's number one golfer for the season, then he's going to have to do it hard way after a lacklustre start in Dubai compared to a sparkling performance by Martin Kaymer left the German firmly in the driving seat.
McDowell admitted to suffering from the effects of a cold but wouldn't let it be used as an excuse as a long and dramatic European season draws to a close in the desert this weekend.
Only order of merit leader Kaymer and McDowell, as his closest pursuer in second, can finish top of the money list. It's a similar situation to Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood last year before the latter got the better of the young Irishman by winning in style in Dubai.
This time around Kaymer holds a healthy €290,911 lead over McDowell and only a top three finish or better will put the US Open champion into the reckoning.
A win (€910,348) will do the job for McDowell so will second (€606,986) so long as Kaymer finishes behind him. Third (€355,036) is the worst McDowell can finish and Kaymer would need to finish outside the to 20 for the European jigsaw to fit into place for the Portrush pro.
As things stand, Kaymer made the perfect start with a five under par 67 on the opening day of the Dubai World Championship over the Earth Course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.
That left the US PGA champion just two shots off the overnight lead held by Sweden's Robert Karlsson. Kaymer’s playing partner McDowell, by comparison, had to rally with two birdies in his last six holes to simply get back to level par and a tie for 25th.
Kaymer (25), who also has the chance to assume Westwood's world number one slot this week if he finishes first or second, played exemplary and controlled golf. The highpoint came when he holed a 192-yard seven iron for an eagle two at the third.
“I think the last time I holed out from the fairway was on the Challenge Tour," said the German afterwards. “I never got that lucky, but it’s the right week — the most important of my career so far — to get lucky.”
McDowell almost holed-in-one at the short sixth - as South African Charl Schwartzel did three groups before him - but let Kaymer get away from him with three bogeys in four holes around the turn with the putter turning cold.
"I’m not making excuses but I didn't feel 100 per cent out there and I'm very happy with level par considering I started throwing shots away like they were going out of fashion," said McDowell afterwards. “I was uncharacteristically scrappy on the greens, especially with those three putts around the turn - can't remember the last time I did that."
"Obviously it was a tough day. Martin came out of the traps early and left me in the dust literally. When a guy holes a shot like that (third) it's great to see. It was a wonderful shot."
"I'm happy with how I dug in and now need a big weekend; to get the putter going and find the energy levels from somewhere. He's five shots ahead of me, that's all,” added G-Mac, noting there was a lot less chat than normal between him and his Ryder Cup team mate given what’s at stake.
“There was definitely an element of match play out there between Martin and I. And definitely a lot less chat between the two of us. You’ve got to hand it to Martin he played great and took the flags out all day.”
Kaymer and McDowell are both trying for an incredible €2,000,000 jackpot on Sunday - €910,348 from the tournament itself and then a €1,092,418 bonus for topping the money list.
Kaymer for his part said he just needs to “remain focused on his own game” and see what happens by the end of the week.
Leader Karlsson holed a 114 yard pitch for an eagle three at the long 14th and with birdies at the 16th and 17th required a four on the 620 yard last to break Westwood's course record from the closing round 12 months ago. However, he drove poorly and instead took six to slip back to a seven under 65.
Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul was one behind after a 66 and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee occupied fourth spot on his own at four under.
McIlroy and Darren Clarke were the leading Irishmen on one under, while Gareth Maybin returned a one over 73. Pádraig Harrington and Damien McGrane could only manage 74s, two better than Peter Lawrie's 76.
There is no halfway cut in the elite 60-player field.
Collated first round scores in the European Tour Dubai World Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):
65Robert Karlsson (Swe)
66Seung-yul Noh (Kor)
67Martin Kaymer (Ger)
68Thongchai Jaidee (Tha)
69Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Ian Poulter, Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson (Swe)
70Gary Boyd, Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Paul Casey, David Horsey, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra)
71Francesco Molinari (Ita), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Ross Fisher, Darren Clarke, Brett Rumford (Aus), Rory McIlroy, Y.E. Yang (Kor)
72 Graeme McDowell, Joost Luiten (Ned), Richard Green (Aus), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Simon Dyson, Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Gregory Havret (Fra), Marcus Fraser (Aus)
73Richie Ramsay, Chris Wood, Gareth Maybin, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Simon Khan, Johan Edfors (Swe), Stephen Gallacher, Ernie Els (Rsa), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa)
74 Damien McGrane, Anders Hansen (Den), Soren Hansen (Den), Matteo Manassero (Ita), Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington
75John Parry, Oliver Wilson, Thomas Bjorn (Den), Rhys Davies, Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe)
76Peter Hanson (Swe), Robert Rock, Danny Willett, Peter Lawrie
78Retief Goosen (Rsa), Jamie Donaldson