The in-form pair of Patrick Reed and Daniel Hillier share the lead after the first round of the Qatar Masters, while Padraig Harrington reached a career milestone with his 500th start in a DP World Tour event.
Rounds of 65 saw Reed and Hillier set the pace at Doha Golf Club on seven under par, one shot clear of Sweden's Marcus Kinhult, Dane Jacob Skov Olesen, Finland's Oliver Lindell, Spain's Angel Ayora and Italy's Gregorio de Leo.
Kinhult's compatriot Joakim Lagergren and New Zealand's Kazuma Kobori are on five under in a tie for eighth.
Reed, who landed a fourth DP World Tour win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic two weeks ago before being denied in a play-off at last week's Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, made a fast start with three consecutive birdies and registered nine in total to go along with three bogeys.
The 2018 Masters champion said of his day's work: "I hit the ball pretty well, especially early in the round, a lot of my birdies were just kind of kick-ins which is always nice, not having to think too much around there.
"The golf course, especially when it's windy like this, it requires a lot of shot-making – you have to work the ball both ways, or flight things down, or take it up in the air. That’s the kind of golf I like.
"I like to get creative when I’m out there and a golf course like this with a lot of doglegs and cross-winds, it allows you to do that. It’s just one of these places that kind of suits my eye."
Hillier has recorded four top-six finishes this season and carded an eagle, six birdies and a bogey, with the New Zealander lamenting his solitary blip, saying: "I was a little frustrated with a soft bogey there, but nice to get a couple back at the end."My game’s feeling really good so I’m just trying to ride the wave, I guess.".
October 1995 ▶️ 1st DP World Tour start
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 5, 2026
February 2026 ▶️ 500th DP World Tour start@padraig_h relives his first start at the 1995 Smurfit European Open 🎥#QatarMasters pic.twitter.com/h9riwlld46
Harrington, who carded a one-under-par 71, is unlikely to add to his 15 DP World Tour successes this week.
However, the three-time major winner has already secured silverware after being presented with a platter to mark his 500th tournament on the tour.
Twelve players will return on Friday morning to conclude their first rounds after play was suspended for the day.
