CLEVELAND, Ohio --Sergio Garcia was the clubhouse leader by one shot as of suspension of the first round at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Friday in United Arab Emirates.
- OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC TEE TIMES
The first round was not completed Thursday because of darkness, but no one still on the course was going to tie or overtake Garcia, who posted a 7-under 65.
Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett are among the competitors at this European Tour event. The second round begins late tonight Eastern Time. Dubai, Arab Emirates is 9 hours ahead of ET.
- OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC LEADERBOARD
Woods, ranked in the high-600s in the world, is coming off a missed cut at the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open last week in California. The Farmers was his first official PGA Tour event in 17 months. He has been recovering from multiple back surgeries/procedures.
Woods owns 14 major championships, none since 2008. Two of the most recent major winners are Stenson (2016 Open Championship) and Willett (2016 Masters). Stenson and Willett are ranked fourth and 13th in the world, respectively.
Woods shot 5-over in the first round. Stenson shot 4-under. Willett, defending champion of the Dubai Desert Classic, was at 1-under.
EUROPEAN TOUR
OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC
Site: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Course: Emirates GC. Yardage: 7,328. Par: 72.
Purse: $2.65 million.
Television: Golf Channel -- Thursday 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., 5:30-8:30 a.m.; Friday, 1-4 a.m., 5:30-8:30 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3:30-8 a.m.
Last week: Jeunghun Wang won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Notes: Tiger Woods is playing the Dubai Desert Classic for the eighth time. He has won twice, in 2006 and 2008, and has a career scoring average at Emirates Golf Club of 68.71. ... Woods previously played Dubai in 2014. He tied for 41st, 10 shots behind Stephen Gallacher. ...Willett won last year by one shot over Andy Sullivan and Rafa Cabrera Bello. Later in 2016, all three played in the Ryder Cup for the first time. ... Sergio Garcia is making his first European Tour start of 2017. He tied for 11th two weeks ago in the Singapore Open, joint sanctioned by the Japan and Asian tours. ... Rory McIlroy withdrew with a rib injury suffered in Abu Dhabi and is not expected to play again until March. ... Ernie Els is a three-time winner in Dubai, the most of any player. Els is not in the field this year. ... Woods playing in Dubai means 2015 remains the only calendar year as a professional that he did not play outside the United States except for the British Open.
Next week: Maybank Championship in Malaysia.
Online: www.europeantour.com
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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