UAE Cup winner Carruthers takes Abu Dhabi Challenge lead

Australia's Coby Carruthers made the most of an invitation from the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) as he shot a bogey-free eight-under-par 62 to lead the Abu Dhabi Challenge after the opening round at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.

The 21-year-old won the inaugural UAE Cup at the same course in October 2024 as an amateur.

That win earned him a place in last year's Abu Dhabi Challenge and at Asian Tour Q School, and he has returned this week as a professional, taking up one of the 30 places allocated to the EGF.

Among the late starters, Carruthers made the most of calmer afternoon conditions.

He picked up a shot at the difficult second, birdied the drivable par-four fourth and added another at the seventh to turn in 32. He came home in 30 with birdies at the 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th and the par-five 18th.

The last of them took him one clear of Belgium's James Meyer de Beco, who had earlier set the clubhouse target.

Carruthers missed only one fairway and two greens all day.

"Everything was quite solid. I drove it well, I holed a few solid putts and I just kept giving myself chances, and that's what you've got to do around here.

"A couple of years ago I won the UAE Cup, and the EGF have been nice enough to invite me the last two years, which has been really nice. That's how I got in the field."

Carruthers missed the cut here last year and again at the Open de Portugal earlier this month, but he put that behind him in style.

"I've been struggling the last few days on the range, but I put all that behind me today and just played, which is what I think I'm good at. I'm going to go out there and have fun, keep hitting fairways and greens, and see what happens."

Meyer de Beco also played bogey-free, and reached the turn in 31 with four birdies in five holes from the second, including a two at the par-three third.

He came home in 32, with birdies at the 12th and 13th, where he made another two, and a closing birdie at the 18th.

How things look after round one 📊#HotelPlannerTour | #AbuDhabiChallenge pic.twitter.com/1rXbvdFcLR

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Belgium's Matthis Besard, Germany's Michael Hirmer and Denmark's Victor Sidal Svendsen share third place on six under after rounds of 64.

They are one clear of a seven-way tie on five under: England's Tom Sloman, Germany's Jan Schneider, Italy's Matteo Cristoni, the Netherlands' Lars van der Vight, Denmark's Hamish Brown, Australia's Haydn Barron and American Alex Goff.

Ireland's Liam Nolan, who started the week 43rd on the Rankings and just inside the top 45 for the Grand Final, opened with a 66 to sit in a tie for 13th.

Among the UAE-based players, 2024 champion Garrick Porteous, another EGF invitee, shot a three-under-par 67 to sit in a tie for 23rd.

Four-time DP World Tour winner David Horsey, who is 15th on the Rankings as he chases one of the 15 DP World Tour cards, opened with a 68 and is tied 45th.

Former European Ryder Cup star Chris Wood opened with a level-par 70.

The second round gets under way at 6:30 AM local time on Thursday, with Carruthers teeing off at 7:30 AM alongside England's Callum Tarren.