New Zealand golfers Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier are tied for ninth after carding four-under par 68's in the opening round of the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic,
They are three strokes off the lead in a group of nine players.
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The lead iss held by three players at seven-under with one of them American amateur David Ford alongside Australian David Mecheluzzi and Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia.
Fox hit bogeys on the second and 11th holes, but birdies at three, five, seven, 10, 13 and the 17th.
Twenty-six-year-old Hillier had just one bogey at the 18th to spoil his round. Otherwise he birdied at the third and ninth holes.
On the back nine he had two consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th with one more on the 17th.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy is at two-under after the first round.