Dechambeau "Starts with 2 Under Par"... Pieters at 5 Under Par

Dubai Desert Classic Day 1 Tied 15th, Korea's Lee Taehee and Even Par Tied 30th Perform Well

Bryson DeChambeau is walking on the fairway of the 13th hole on the first day of the Dubai Desert Classic. Dubai (United Arab Emirates) = Getty Images / Photo by Multivitz

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-joon] Bryson DeChambeau (USA) is on a 'march for a 2nd consecutive victory.'

On the 24th (Korea time), at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (par 72, 7,301 yards), the first day of the European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic (total prize money $3.25 million), he posted 2-under par and stood tied for 15th place. Thomas Pieters (Belgium) surged with 5-under par to take the lead by one stroke. David Lipsky (USA) is in 2nd place (4-under par 68 strokes), and 12 players including Kurt Kitayama (USA) are chasing in a tie for 3rd place at 3-under par.

DeChambeau (USA) achieved his first European Tour victory at this tournament last year. It is noteworthy that he shot 8-under par on the final day to complete a dominant 7-stroke victory. On this day, he recorded 4 birdies and 2 bogeys. He opened the scoring early with a birdie on the first hole, the 10th hole (par 4), but then made pars on the next 8 holes. In the back nine, he exchanged a bogey on the 1st hole (par 4) for a birdie on the 2nd hole (par 4), then birdied the 5th hole (par 4) and bogeyed the 6th hole (par 4), finally adding one more stroke with a birdie on the 9th hole (par 4).

Pieters' performance is formidable. He swept up 8 birdies (1 bogey, 1 double bogey) to make an early sprint. His 'stingy putting' averaging 1.5 putts per hole stood out. He is looking for his 5th career win after 5 months since the Czech Masters last August. He added confidence, saying "my putting was good." In Korea, Lee Tae-hee (36) is tied for 30th place at even par. 'Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship champ' Lee Westwood (England) fell back to a tie for 113th place with a poor 6-over par performance.