Thrilling Start: Fleetwood and Lowry Lead the Pack at Abu Dhabi Championship

Former champions Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry share the lead at the Abu Dhabi Championship with opening rounds of 8-under 64s. They are joined by Adrien Saddier, Kazuma Kobori, and Richard Sterne. The day included notable performances and thrilling moments, with seven players close behind at 65.

Former champions Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry set the pace at the Abu Dhabi Championship, recording impressive rounds of 8-under 64s. The Ryder Cup stars share the lead with Frenchman Adrien Saddier, New Zealand's Kazuma Kobori, and South African Richard Sterne, who participated in the inaugural event back in 2006.

Fleetwood, the 2017 and 2018 winner, excelled on the course with eight birdies, maintaining a flawless performance. Meanwhile, 2019 champion Lowry recorded nine birdies against one bogey. Saddier briefly appeared to take the sole lead in the afternoon but faltered with a late bogey.

The competitive leaderboard features seven more players just a shot behind, all delivering 65s. Standout moments included Ludvig Aberg's hole-in-one on the par-three eighth, while Rory McIlroy ended the day four shots from the lead.

(With inputs from agencies.)