Thriston Lawrence got 2024 off to a good start on Thursday when he carded a six-under-par 65 in the opening round of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
His seven birdies and a bogey saw him finish the first day of the tournament – featuring 60 professionals and 60 amateurs for the first three rounds, and just the pros in the final round – in third place. He was threes strokes behind the leader, Rory McIlroy, and one behind the man in second, Yannick Paul of Germany. He was one stroke clear of Tommy Fleetwood and Thorbjorn Olesen.
Lawrence started his round on the 10th, and he was bogey-free through his opening nine with three birdies. He stretched out to four-under with a birdie on 10, but he dropped a shot on the 11th. He kept things on track, however, with three more birdies on his way home.
In a share of sixth on four-under was Zander Lombard, who also dropped just a single shot on his way to a 67. Hennie du Plessis was on one-under in a share of 20th, while Ockie Strydom was in a share of 32nd on level-par.
