Tommy Fleetwood off to flying start with record-equalling round at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Dubai resident produces sparkling 10-under par 62 on first day at Yas Links

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off on the 15th hole during day one of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2024 at Yas Links Golf Course. Getty Images

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy plays a shot on Thursday. AFP

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off on the third hole. Getty Images

Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark, left, and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk on the first hole. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy plays his second shot on the first hole. Getty Images

Thriston Lawrence of South Africa plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Getty Images

Thriston Lawrence of South Africa looks on after teeing off on the fourth hole. Getty Images

Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Getty Images

Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark tees off on the 15th. Getty Images

A silhouette as Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Getty Images

Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his third shot from a bunker on the 18th hole. Getty Images

Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Getty Images

For the most part, it felt as though not much had changed in the 22 months since the DP World Tour was last at Yas Links.

On the first day of the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the views out to the mangroves just offshore were still serene. The course was just as immaculate as before. Only the temperature had definitely been turned up a notch.

The alteration to the tour calendar to introduce a new, two-legged play-off to finish the season prompted the switch of Abu Dhabi’s tournament from its traditional slot in January to November. The weather is noticeably different.

By the time the group including the Race to Dubai leaders – Rory McIlroy, Rasmus Hojgaard and Thriston Lawrence – teed-off just after 9.30am, it was already registering in the early 30-degrees. It was perhaps seven or so degrees warmer than the average temperatures during the previous window for the event.

The fact it was also dead still meant two distinct things: scoring opportunities were good, but the idea of walking seven and a half kilometres maybe less so.

“It was so hot this morning, I didn’t drink enough water, and I got on the golf course and felt a little bit ropey,” said Paul Waring, although the Englishman coped well enough to card an eight-under 64. “I had a bit of food and electrolytes, and that set me right. From there, I played lovely.”

Joost Luiten, the Dutch player, said the weather was perfectly agreeable. “It’s strange, but you're in Abu Dhabi,” said Luiten, after signing for 5-under.

“I like the heat. It makes your body nice and loose. You don't have to wear three or four layers of clothes. I’m quite happy with these conditions.”

Perhaps understandably, it was a couple of UAE residents who fared the very best in the conditions. Tommy Fleetwood, the Dubai resident who twice won the Falcon Trophy when the tournament was across town at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, held the lead at the end of the first round.

The Englishman played a sparkling round to register 62 and end the day at 10-under par, equalling the course record in the process.

“It was playing into the hands of good scoring today, and I think we'll see how the course firms up,” Fleetwood said.

“We normally play this tournament in January. It's two extra months of having better weather over here, cooler weather where you can really make it firm and fast.

“It will be interesting to see what happens to the course as the week progresses. I think they can keep getting it firmer and there's obviously plenty of pin positions that they can tuck away.

“People's shots start making birdies and you see the leaderboard with low scores coming, and so it obviously shows it's possible [to shoot good scores].

“It is this part of the year, and there are the 70 best players of the European Tour, playing very good golf and we had nice conditions on a beautiful golf course. It just shows the standard of golf that’s out there.”

Going into Round 2, Fleetwood is a stroke ahead of Johannes Veerman and Thorbjorn Olesen, who is also based in Dubai.

“There’s not that much breeze out there, so it definitely feels hot,” said Olesen, who fired two eagles in his opening round. “I think maybe I’m a bit more used to it now after being out here for a couple of years.”

Fleetwood and his playing partners, Robert McIntyre and Shane Lowry, will start their second round at 9.23am on Friday.