The two time Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner is looking good early on in the season's first World Golf Championships event.
The Northern Irishman fired an eight under par 63 to take a one shot lead over Dustin Johnson.
Meanwhile Justin Thomas and Matt Kuchar are two strokes back on seven under par.
Meanwhile 14-time major winner Tiger Woods is on level par, eight shots off the pace.
Sabalenka powers past Noskova to reach Indian Wells final
World number one Aryna Sabalenka kept her quest for a maiden Indian Wells title alive on Friday, defeating 14th seed Linda Noskova 6-3 6-4 to reach her third final in the California desert.
UAE Team Emirates–XRG reclaims lead at Tirreno–Adriatico in Italy
Mexican rider Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates–XRG regained the overall lead of the Tirreno–Adriatico race in Italy after a strong attacking performance in Stage 5, finishing second in the stage to return to the top of the general classification with only two stages remaining.
F1's Bahrain and Saudi races set to be cancelled amid ongoing regional tensions
Formula One's Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are set to be cancelled over the weekend due to the ongoing regional tensions.
Georgia caught in doping scandal as players allegedly swapped urine samples
Six Georgia rugby players and a team official have committed anti-doping rule violations, the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Rugby said on Friday after an investigation uncovered a scheme involving alleged sample substitution and advance warnings of drug tests.
F1 leader Russell puts Mercedes on pole for China sprint race
Formula One championship leader George Russell put Mercedes on pole position for the first sprint race of the season in China on Friday in a provisional front row lockout with teammate Kimi Antonelli.
UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has ordered the arrest of 10 people of various nationalities for publishing misleading and fabricated videos on social media.
Abu Dhabi Police say 45 people of different nationalities have been arrested for filming locations linked to ongoing events and posting the footage on social media, while also sharing inaccurate and misleading information that could provoke public concern.
The UAE Cyber Security Council is urging individuals and organisations to remain vigilant against Wiper malware, describing it as one of the most destructive forms of malicious software, designed to erase data and disrupt systems.
