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.
Shelton wins back-to-back Canadian Opens with victory over Nakashima
Ben Shelton has won the Canadian Open for a second straight year with a 6-3 7-6(4) victory over fellow American Brandon Nakashima on Thursday, claiming his second Masters 1000 crown and picking up a seventh career title.
Swiatek defeats Rybakina to claim Canadian Open title
Iga Swiatek has captured her first title of the season with a swift 6-2 6-3 win against Elena Rybakina in the Canadian Open final on Thursday, giving the Pole a confidence boost heading into the US Open.
Dubai Police reminds football fans of stadium rules ahead of new season
As the new ADNOC Pro League season gets underway on Friday, Dubai Police is urging football fans to enjoy the matches responsibly and follow stadium safety rules.
Italy's Curtis betters own 50m backstroke world record
Italy's Sara Curtis broke her own 50m women's backstroke world record on Thursday when she won gold in 26.56 seconds at the European Championships in Paris, a day after she had set the previous record.
Bangladesh humble Australia on day one of Darwin Test
Bangladesh savoured their first taste of test cricket in Australia in 23 years on Thursday as they skittled the world's top-ranked side for less than 200 and moved to stumps in command at 96 for one on the first day of the series-opener in Darwin.
The UAE has strongly condemned Iran for targeting two vessels of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on the Strait of Hormuz.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has confirmed two of its vessels were attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday evening.
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has ordered temporary closure of 'Lassi Cafe' due to repeated food safety violations and failure to implement adequate measures to rectify the issue.
