The last time Richard Sterne shone in a tournament in the UAE, he said he hoped it would set him up for a concerted spell in contention for trophies.
That was back at the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, when he had the Falcon Trophy snatched from his grasp at the 72nd hole by his final-round playing partner Shane Lowry.
As it turned out, he missed the cut the very next week up the road in Dubai, and has barely been spotted near the top of a European Tour leaderboard since.
Add in a wrist injury that all but accounted for his 2020 campaign, and the time since that Abu Dhabi epiphany has been wholly dispiriting for the 39-year-old South African.
As such, when Sterne signed for the lowest round of the opening day at the 2021 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, he was in no rush to get ahead of himself.
“It's always good to get off to a good start,” Sterne said, after an 8-under 64 that gave him a one-stroke lead at the end of day one at Emirates Golf Club.
“It helps you for the rest of the week I think. I've come close here before. So it would be nice to have a chance going into the weekend.
“I haven't had much chances going into weekends for a long time, so it would be nice to get through tomorrow, place myself well and see how the weekend goes.”
The world No 320 might be remaining cautious, but he did allow himself one moment of excitement in round one, when he nearly drained his tee-shot on the tricky par-3 15th.
“I was hoping that it was going to have a chance, and when I got up there and saw it was quite close,” Sterne said.
“I've only had one hole-in-one my whole life, so I'm not exactly prone to hitting a lot of hole-in-ones, but a two on that hole is really good.”
Sterne’s 64, which included nine birdies, left him a stroke ahead of Kurt Kitayama, with his South African compatriot Justin Harding and Sergio Garcia tied for third on 6-under par.
Garcia had shone the brightest in the showpiece three-ball of the morning matches.
Playing with Collin Morikawa, the 23-year-old PGA Championship winner from the United States, and Abu Dhabi champion Tyrrell Hatton, Garcia fired six birdies in a blemish-free round.
It was a show of class from a player who made his first cut on the European Tour two years before Morikawa was born.
“The desire’s still there,” Garcia said, after signing for a 66 that gave him a tie for the lead among the early finishers in the opening round.
“At the end of the day, we’re still competitors. I really enjoyed playing with Collin today, but my focus, it's a little bit different than it was with family and getting married and having kids.
“That doesn't mean that I'm not a competitor. I still love to compete. I love to practice, to try to get better, and that's what I try to do all the time.
“It's nice to see rounds like that one today, because it shows that I'm putting some good work in there and just got to keep doing more of that.”
Paul Casey is one of a group of four players who will start their second round on 5-under par.
The Englishman had made a rapid start, registering birdies at his first four holes on his return to the Classic for the first time in seven years.
“It was difficult then, and it's grown some teeth in the last few years, with some new tees,” Casey said.
“I’m very happy. It's difficult to read the greens and make putts around here. They have always been tricky, with a bit of grain in there. So I’m, very happy with that start.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
QUARTER-FINAL
Wales 20-19 France
Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2
France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score
Tuesday:
Roma (1) v Shakhtar Donetsk (2), 11.45pm
Manchester United (0) v Sevilla (0), 11.45pm
Wednesday:
Besiktas (0) v Bayern Munich (5), 9pm
Barcelona (1) v Chelsea (1), 11.45pm
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
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