Ross Fisher's hopes of earning the jackpot at the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World on his 29th birthday on Sunday took a hit the moment he teed off at the picturesque Earth course today.
The current Volvo World Match Play Championship winner has to finish first or second to have a chance of finishing the season as Europe's Number One, but he ran up the only double bogey six of the day on the 454 yard opening hole and then had to work hard for a par five on the next.
At two over he was already eight adrift of fellow Englishman Chris Wood, making a sparkling return after tearing ankle ligaments a month ago.
The 21 year old, third at The Open Championship in July, turned in 34 and then had a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th, finally ending his round on six under par after picking up a further shot on the 620 yard par five 18th.
His sublime 66 gave him a two stroke lead over China's Liang Wen-chong, South African Thomas Aiken - they were both in the clubhouse - Padraig Harrington, Adam Scott, Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas.
Fisher was over €435,000 behind money list leader Rory McIlroy, who saved par from a fairway bunker on the first and then birdied the second with a seven-foot putt.
The 58-strong field teed off in reverse Race to Dubai order, which meant 20 year old McIlroy, trying to become the youngest Order of Merit winner since Seve Ballesteros in 1976, was paired with his closest challenger Lee Westwood.
Westwood, seeking to regain the crown he held in 2000, parred the first two holes, as did German Martin Kaymer playing alongside Fisher.
McIlroy will take the title regardless of how he plays if Westwood finishes outside the top seven, Kaymer the top four and Fisher the top two.
Speaking after his round, Wood said: "That's the first time I've played 18 holes since the injury. I was on crutches for two and a half weeks, but it's recovered well.
"The ankle started aching on the 15th tee and I thought I'll take one under for the closing stretch, but I managed to birdie every one."
The stretch is known as the "Golden Mile" and designer Greg Norman said he expected it to be "one of the most challenging and exciting miles of golf in terms of risk and reward."
Wood certainly got the reward, pitching to six feet on the 15th, making eight-footers on the next two and then hitting his approach to six feet at the 620 yard last.
“If you give yourself the chances, you're definitely going to make some birdies,” Wood added.
“A good finish can turn your day around like I did today and obviously I've turned it into a really good score.”
Fisher remained two over after five, McIlroy was one under after a 10-foot par save on the third and Westwood and Kaymer stood level par. Wood's lead, however, was cut to one by both Goosen and Australian Robert Allenby. They each had six to play.
