Luke Donald has taken a one-shot lead after the opening round of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The world number two produced a bogey-free round of 65 to hold a single-shot advantage over world number one Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, who has already secured the European money list title for 2012, hit five birdies on his back nine to challenge his Ryder Cup compatriot for the lead.
The Northern Irishman was joined on six-under-par by Spain's Gonzalo Fdez-Castano and Scotland's Marc Warren.
Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen were part of a six-strong group of players who finished on five-under-par.
