Defending champion Ernie Els quickly stamped his authority on the Dubai Desert Classic today by birdieing three of his first four holes en route to a first round six-under-par 66.
That gave the South African the morning lead in the club house, one ahead of England's Greg Owen, who three-putted the last, and Sven Struver of Germany.
With world number one Tiger Woods out of the tournament because of the looming war with Iraq, Els started the 1.8-million-dollar European PGA Tour event as a commanding favourite.
Els has won four of his last five stroke-play events, finishing second in the other, and has firmly established himself as the only creditable rival to Woods' domination of world golf.
In five previous visits to Dubai, Els had never posted an over-par score and it soon became evident he was in no mood to end this run.
A birdie-four at his opening hole, the 10th, was followed by two more birdies at the 12th and 13th as he reached the turn in a five-under 32.
Another birdie at the third put him six-under and he parred his way in from there.
Owen, who missed the cut in two of his last three outings, had four birdies on the back nine, and then jumped into a share of the lead with an eagle three at the third before bogeying the last.
Struver, also struggling for form with three successive missed cuts, sparked his challenge with four birdies in five holes from the first.
Playing with Els, Ireland's Darren Clarke was handily placed at two-under.
Ryder Cup quartet Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Philip Price and Thomas Bjorn are among the later starters.