Fitzpatrick grabs early Dubai lead

DUBAI: Matthew Fitzpatrick produced a burst of birdies over the closing stretch to take a one-shot lead after the Dubai Desert Classic opening round on Thursday, with Sergio Garcia and Bryson DeChambeau in an eight-way tie for second.

At the Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club, the 24-year-old Englishman birdied his last four holes, and five of his last six, to card a seven-under-par 65, playing in the decidedly tougher scoring conditions of the afternoon session.

American DeChambeau fired a 66 to sit in the logjam for second alongside 2017 champion Sergio Garcia and England’s Callum Shinkwin.Defending champion Li Haotong of China, and English pair Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were among those tied for 10th place at five-under.

Players in the morning took advantage of softer conditions on the golf course, but there was a little bit more wind in the afternoon and the greens got firmer.But all that did not seem to faze Fitzpatrick, who is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Singapore Open last week.

With the experienced Billy Foster now on his bag, the world number 39 made just one bogey on the difficult par-four sixth hole, and was two-under par through 12 holes.He made a birdie on the par-five 13th, before rolling in a 30-foot putt on the par-there 15th to start his birdie blitz coming in.