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(Reuters) - England's
Andy Sullivan shot a bogey-free 11-under-par 61 to set a course
record and lead by two shots after the first round at the Golf
in Dubai Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Wednesday.
Sullivan recorded 11 birdies and briefly looked set to match
compatriot Oliver Fisher's European Tour record of 59 at the
Portugal Masters in 2018 before he finished the last two holes
on par at the Fire Course which made its European Tour debut.
Starting on the back nine, Sullivan had six birdies at the turn
as he raced up the leaderboard and eventually finished the day
ahead of Frenchman Antoine Rozner and Englishmen Matt Wallace
and Ross Fisher, who were all tied at nine-under-par.
"It's funny, I played the front nine yesterday and I played the
back nine a year ago when we came over to warm up, you do all
this prep on these courses and try and work out where to hit
it," Sullivan, 34, said.
"This week I turned up and clattered it down and found myself
being ridiculous under par through seven or eight holes on my
front nine. You think, 'here we go'.
"COVID really changed everything for me. I refocused and started
enjoying it again. I've started to play a lot better. Going out
there and enjoying it I know I'm giving myself the best chance
to shoot a low score."
Scotland's Craig Howie and Marc Warren and Swede Oscar Lengden
are tied for fifth a shot further back.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison
Williams)
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