Sergio Garcia sparkled in the sunshine as he raced to an early share of the lead on the opening day of the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic.
The Spaniard, who won around the Majlis Course in 2017, fired a 5-under-par 67 in Round 1.
That score was matched among the early starters by his compatriot Pablo Larrazabal.
Three players finished their 18 holes within a shot of the lead, including Collin Morikawa, the world No 2.
The American had appeared to be on course for something rather more significant than that, after he raced out of the blocks following his 8am start with Rory McIlroy and Bernd Weisberger.
Playing the back nine first, Morikawa had a makeable putt for eagle at 18 which would have given him a 7-under total of 30 for his opening nine.
Morikawa did make birdie, but his round faltered from then on, as he ended up signing for a 4-under-par 68.
His cooling off coincided with temperatures rising at Emirates Golf Club.
Both Garcia and Larrazabal suggested the warmth had something to do with their good form around the fairways.
“The weather really helps,” said Garcia, whose win in 2017 famously prefaced him winning the Masters at Augusta.
“It's a really nice golf course and I've done well here, so that also helps. It's usually a nice to way to start the year. You're always excited to come back.”
Larrazabal won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2014, and acknowledged the weather in the Middle East suits him, too.
“What are you wearing?” Larrazabal said. “You're wearing a shirt. You're not wearing a jacket.
“That's it. I play good with a shirt on. I don't like to wear jackets and all that stuff.”
The greens on the Majlis have been remodelled ahead of this tournament, and Larrazabal said he is a fan of the changes.
“This is my 14th time that I have played around here and these greens, they never treat me properly,” he said.
“So I'm glad they change the greens, and they run perfect. Obviously, they are new, so the ball is bouncing a little too much.
“But the job they did making some new pin positions, the way they shaped those greens now, they are much better, and I'm glad they did it, and I have to congratulate them.”
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
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KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
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Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
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Strawweight (Female)
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Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
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Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Saudi National Day
FIGHT CARD
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Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
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Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
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James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
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WOMAN AND CHILD
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Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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