Daniel Im and Benjamin Hebert took advantage of good scoring conditions to share a one-shot lead after day one of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation.
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However, one shot behind them is a group of three, including World Number 11 Jon Rahm. The Spaniard is joined by English duo Oliver Fisher and Matthew Southgate at seven under. Former champion Jamie Donaldson, David Drysdale and Matthew Fitzpatrick were then at six under, with 39 players within four shots of the leaders.
Rahm started as he meant to go on, with a lengthy birdie putt on the first, and while he dropped a shot on the third, a stunning approach from the rough on the fourth and a double-breaker on the sixth got him back on track.
He got inside 20 feet with his second on the par five seventh for an eagle, and after taking advantage of the next two par fives on the 13th and 14th, he put his tee-shot on the next to 15 feet for another birdie.
‘It was just a great day,’ Rahm told the European Tour website.
‘The atmosphere was so good. My attitude was probably the best it’s been all year. I was positive all day. Kept my routine going. Stayed calm and the result showed how good it was.’
There was then a group of 14 players at five under including World Number Two Hideki Matsuyama, US Open Championship winners Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose, and local favourite Paul Dunne.
Defending champion and tournament host Rory McIlroy posted a disappointing level par 72, while Joost Luiten recorded the 21st hole-in-one of the season at the sixth.
Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
