The two time Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner is looking good early on in the season's first World Golf Championships event.
The Northern Irishman fired an eight under par 63 to take a one shot lead over Dustin Johnson.
Meanwhile Justin Thomas and Matt Kuchar are two strokes back on seven under par.
Meanwhile 14-time major winner Tiger Woods is on level par, eight shots off the pace.
Arsenal beaten 3-0 by Brighton to end perfect start
Brighton and Hove Albion ended Arsenal's perfect start to the season in stunning fashion on Saturday, routing the Premier League champions 3-0 on the south coast.
England complete Sri Lanka whitewash to top T20 rankings
Jos Buttler hit an unbeaten half-century as dominant England beat a sorry Sri Lanka by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 series whitewash and replace India on top of the T20 world rankings after the final match of the series in Manchester on Saturday.
UAE begins campaign at Asian Games in Japan
The UAE has begun its campaign at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, with 165 athletes representing the country across 21 sports.
UEFA defends draw policy after Ireland request
UEFA said on Saturday that decisions on whether national teams should be kept apart in competition draws were made on a case-by-case basis and guided primarily by security considerations, after Ireland's football association said its request to avoid future pairings with Israel had been rejected.
Villa chalk up first victory as Spurs misery continues
Aston Villa finally breathed a sigh of relief as they claimed their first Premier League win of the season with a 3-2 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while Spurs' season lurched deeper into trouble after another demoralising defeat.
Sunny
High: 42°C | Low: 31°C
