Imperious Rafael storms to a 2 shot lead in Omega Dubai Desert Classic opening round

Rafael Cabrera-Bello flirted with the course record en route to shooting a superb nine-under-par 63 on the opening day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday.

The smooth-swinging Spaniard made a blazing start to his round, going nine under after just 11 holes, and the way he was picking up shots after shots it looked even a European Tour’s elusive 59 was under threat.
But a string of pars thereafter prevented Cabrera-Bello, who already had a 60 to his name, from achieving the feat. He also fell just short of Ernie Els’ record of a 61 he posted in 1994, but his 63 was good enough to take a two-shot lead over German Marcel Siem and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.

US Open Champion and world number two McIlroy was deep in the pack at one over after eight, but a birdie on the difficult ninth sparked him into life and by the time he almost holed-in-one on the 15th – Scot Stephen Gallacher did make an ace there – he was up to five under.
A delighted Cabrera-Bello said: “Just for a second after the birdie on number two (his 11th hole) I tried to do the maths on what I needed for 59.

“Then I told myself to stop being foolish and don’t be too greedy. Nothing wrong happened – there were some tough holes to come and I didn’t drop a stroke.
“It’s a really, really good score, but in itself it means nothing. If you want to stay grounded you think of how many leaders of the first round win the tournament. Not that many. I know I have to play really, really good just to have a chance.”

Lee Westwood, the world number three, had a 69, last week’s winner Paul Lawrie a 71 after closing with a double bogey on the ninth and Abu Dhabi champion Robert Rock a 73.
Siem had the chance to grab his lowest-ever round on The European Tour when he stood on the fairway at the par five 18th eight under, but his second flew right of target into the lake – he thought there must have been mud under the ball – and he ran up a bogey six.
Highlight of Jamieson’s round was an eagle three on the 550 yard 13th and the 28 year old Scot backed it up with five birdies, three of them on the par threes.

Lawrie had kept a bogey off his card as well until his approach to the tricky ninth finished on the wall on the edge of the water. He took a penalty drop, but could not get up and down.
McIlroy, who has girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki with him for support this week, said: “I was pretty slow starting off and after my best shot of the day on the seventh three-putted from four feet.
“I just needed to get something to happen, made a nice birdie on nine and went on a run from there. Seeing nine under on the leaderboard early is tough – you think you should be doing better.”
World Number Four Martin Kaymer did eagle the last and that was for a 66 as well, while John Daly – fourth last week in Qatar – had a 71 that included a triple-bogey seven on the ninth.