NICK DOUGHERTY and Phil Archer made impressive starts during the first round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
Liverpool player Dougherty carded birdies on the second, third and eighth, to be three under after nine holes.
But Archer, from Warrington, took an early share of the lead at four under with Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez after nine holes.
Archer, who finished a career best 41st on the European Tour Order of Merit last season, took advantage of improved weather to card five birdies, including three in succession from the third. Only a bogey on the ninth denied him the outright lead at that stage.
Jimenez, looking to record his first tournament victory since 2005, carded four birdies on the backnine.
Tournament favourite Retief Goosen, making his debut at the course, recorded an eagle on the 18th, his ninth, and a birdie on the 11th took him to three under.
Defending champion Chris DiMarco got off to a steady start as he made par after nine holes, a bogey on the 11th being cancelled out by a birdie on 14th, while Colin Montgomerie carded two successive birdies on the 17th and 18th to complete a two-under par 36 on the back nine.
Swede Johan Edfors endured a torrid start to the tournament as he carded five bogeys after nine holes and is six over par.
Montgomerie is looking to secure the first title of his 20th season on the European Tour.
Montgomerie, who is 44 in June, is one of the circuit's elder statesmen and has enjoyed plenty of success during his two decades on the Tour.
But he endured a disappointing 2006 on the greens, in which he failed to win a single event.
His last victory came in the Hong Kong Open at the end of 2005.
