Day one digest: Saudi International

Everything you need to know from the opening day of the 2020 Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

Green got a flier, McDowell mastered the elements, Phil continued to thrill and the wind wasn't the only strong thing on day one of the 2020 Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

GMac refuses to be blown away

Graeme McDowell was raised in Northern Ireland and won the U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links - so it's fair to say he knows a thing or two about playing in the wind. When the afternoon gusts came in the desert, he was the man to master them, carding a 64 with a three birdie finish to share the lead as he looks for a first European Tour win in almost six years. "Playing well in these conditions is really just about trying to stay patient," he said. "Hang tough, hit fairways, hit greens and obviously being a good putter helps as well - be able to clean up any mistakes you make."

Green for go

The man sharing the lead with McDowell is Gavin Green, who is looking for his first European Tour win this week. The Malaysian hit the opening tee shot of the day on the first and never looked back, carding a total of eight birdies to lead after 18 holes for the fourth time in his European Tour career. "A couple of pretty big par saves and a couple of mistakes, a couple of three putts, which was tough to take in because I was playing well and I was playing solid," he said. "It's the nature of the game. You just have to live with it and move on and that's what we did."

Phil being Phil

Phil Mickelson may turn 50 in the summer but he has no intention of stopping being Phil the Thrill any time soon. The five time Major Championship winner was at his enigmatic best on Thursday, double bogeying the second but finishing at four under after bouncing back with nine birdies. He had a run of nine holes without a par from the seventh, including hitting the pin on the 11th, as he came home in 29 for the first time on the European Tour. Never change Phil.

Not all pars are equal

Jhonattan Vegas was going very well at three under in the tougher afternoon conditions but he must have thought his day was taking a turn for the worse when he put his second in the water at the ninth. He responded with this.

The Venezuelan went on to finish at five under - just one off the lead.

Quiros rolls his rock - literally

Rules of Golf - 15.1a - Removal of Loose Impediment - Without penalty, a player may remove a loose impediment anywhere on or off the course, and may do so in any way (such as by using a hand or foot or a club or other equipment). Alvaro Quiros knows his stuff and even got some friends to help out.