Jeev, Kapur end day one badly, McIlroy starts strongly

Jeev Milkha Singh and Shiv Kapur both came to grief in the closing holes in the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic here today.
Jeev, who was four-under through 17 holes dropped a double bogey on the ninth, which was his finishing hole to come back with a two-under 70, while Shiv Kapur, four-under through 13 holes dropped three shots in his last five holes to finish at 71. Both the Indians had started on the tenth.
Jeev, who has four European Tour titles, birdied the 15th, 17th, second, fifth and sixth and his bogey came on fourth before the disastrous double bogey on ninth.

Kapur, still looking for a breakthrough win on the European Tour - he does have two wins on Challenge Tour - birdied the 13th, 17th and 18th and dropped a shot on 16th to turn in two-under. He holed a superb eagle on the par-5 third to go to four-under, before running into trouble on the fifth, sixth and eighth.
Bernd Wiesberger, who has now shot under 70 in ten of his last 11 rounds, carded eight-under 64 to take sole lead after the first round. After five pars to start with, Wiesberger had an electric back nine with six birdies and five in a row from 13th to 17th. He was one shot ahead of a pack of four that included Nicolas Colsaerts, Lee Westwood, Andy Sullivan and Peter Uihlein, while the winner of the last two editions, Stephen Gallacher going in for a treble, was six-under 66 alongside World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and five others on a low-scoring day.

McIlroy also made an excellent start as he attempted to turn his recent good form into victory at Emirates Golf Club. However, a wayward drive led to a bogey at the ninth - his last - and that cost him a share of top spot. McIlroy has finished second in his last three events and was returning to the scene of his first professional win six years ago, where he has secured four consecutive top-ten finishes.
After starting on the ninth, the 25-year-old got off to a flying start with birdies on his first two holes and another on the 18th got him to the turn in 34. Four birdies in six holes from the third looked like giving McIlroy a share of the lead, but his last tee shot of the day finished in thick rough close to a fairway bunker.