KUALA LUMPUR: Gavin Kyle Green got off to an encouraging start with an opening two-under 70 to be tied for 14th at the US$10mil (RM45.5mil) DP World Tour Championship in Dubai today.
The 28-year-old traded five birdies against three bogeys at the Earth Course of the Jumeirah Golf Estates.
That left him five shots adrift of England's joint-leaders Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick, who carded matching 65s to lead by one from Sweden's Alex Noren.
World No 1 and two-time winner Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland could only manage a 71 to sit joint 22nd.
Gavin is making his second appearance in the prestigious event, exclusive to the top 50 points finishers in the season-long point standings, after making the cut at 28th place.
He marked his debut campaign in 2020 with a tied 57th outing in the 65-player tournament at that time.
The Tour Championship offers a whopping US$3mil (RM13.65mil) to the winner with the last-placed finisher guaranteed of a US$32,900 (RM150,000) payout.