Denmark's Thomas Bjorn showed he is not prepared to surrender his Dubai Desert Classic crown without a fight after finishing in a share of the lead on the opening day.
Bjorn, a brilliant winner around the Emirates course twelve months ago over Tiger Woods, didn't drop a stroke to end the round tied with Sweden's Robert Karlsson at five under par.
Karlsson recorded an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys in a similar round of 67.
Five players, including pre-tournament favourite, Ernie Els of South Africa along with Scotland's Sam Torrance, the Swedish duo of Ollie Karlsson and Niclas Fasth, plus Korea's Charlie Wi are tied in third place at four under par.
Padraig Harrington is the leading Irish golfer in the field, shooting a 70 to leave him on two under.
Els, winner of last week's Genuity Championship on the US PGA Tour, is competing in Dubai for a first time in four years and looking to add a second title here to the one he claimed in 1994.
Wi, runner-up last year on the Asian Tour, birdied five holes in succession mid-round after starting his day with a double bogey and ending with a bogey.
Bjorn, who is attached to the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club facility, is returning to competition for the first time since December when he contested the Williams World Challenge in the US but the 31-year-old confessed to being a little nervous on the opening tee.
"It was different out there and it certainly felt I hadn't played for a while," said Bjorn.
"I felt nervous early on and the decisions were hard but I just kept saying to myself that I know this golf course so well and it seemed to just get better and better.
"I did have a lack of confidence and a bit of rustiness but the score was fantastic the way I played and I think the freshness of having such a long break kept me in it and kept me fighting."