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.
Ferdinand admits doubts over Pochettino's impact on Manchester United
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand admits he has doubts over whether Mauricio Pochettino has what it takes to turn things around at Old Trafford.
Mbappe out for France's Nations League fixture
Kylian Mbappe will not feature in France's Nations League match against Italy on Thursday as he is not fully fit, coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters on Wednesday.
Andreeva reaches WTA Finals semis, Svitolina fights back to beat Muchova
World number three Mirra Andreeva booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals with a 6-4 6-0 win over Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday, while Elina Svitolina battled back to beat Karolina Muchova and keep her hopes alive.
Victory Team's Ahmad Al Fahim takes on Dubai T100 for third year running
Victory Team powerboat driver Ahmad Al Fahim will line up for his third Dubai T100 Triathlon on November 15, taking on the full 100km for the second year running.
FIFA clears joint bids for 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups
Two joint bids for the Women's World Cup in 2031 and 2035 have met the minimum hosting requirements and will be submitted to the Extraordinary FIFA Congress for approval, world football's governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a law defining Dubai Municipality's mandate to build a future-ready city.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has met with the US delegation that mediated the talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi this week.
A man has been arrested in Abu Dhabi for defrauding the owner of a gold jewellery store in the UAE capital of items worth AED 14 million.
