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Graeme McDowell was happy to get himself back into contention at the DP World Tour Championship lying three over par after 13 holes before rolling in a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th and signing for a 72.
With it too the chance of hauling back the gap with Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson.
Rory McIlroy carded four birdies on the way to the turn but lost two of those gains on holes five and eight, with another bogey on the last leaving him one under par 72 for the day.
Shane Lowry finished in a similar fashion with two bogeys undoing the birdies on holes 3,7 and 17.
Alejandro Cañizares took the first round lead at the DP World Tour Championship as Stenson strengthened his position at the top of The Race to Dubai.
Spain’s Cañizares won on only his third European Tour start in 2006, but seven years and almost 200 events later is yet to add to his trophy haul.
A six under par 66 at Jumeirah Golf Estates saw the 30 year old lead by one from Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Australia's Marcus Fraser, with Race to Dubai leader Stenson a shot further back alongside Jamie Donaldson and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
Stenson admitted he lost focus to three-putt the 18th for his only bogey of the day, but did enough to suggest his nearest challengers for the Race to Dubai title will be hard pressed to overhaul him despite continuing to battle a wrist injury.
Playing partner Justin Rose, who needs to finish fifth or better, carded a two under par 70, while third-placed Graeme McDowell returned a 72 and fourth-placed Ian Poulter a 69.
"It has been a lot of hard work all season and I just let my focus slip on the last," said Stenson, who is looking to become the first player to win the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in the same year.
"That sucks, but I am still in good shape and playing nicely. The guys are running on fumes so everybody is looking forward to getting done.
"You can't win a tournament on Thursday but you can certainly play your way out of it. I would have taken four under at the start of the day so I just have to let the disappointment of the last slip away."
Poulter believes he is playing the best golf of his career after finishes of 15th, second and fifth in the first three events of the inaugural Final Series, results which have given him a chance of overhauling Stenson and beating his rival and neighbour in Lake Nona in Orlando.
The Ryder Cup star carded four birdies and one bogey in his opening 69, but was frustrated at missing a number of chances to be higher up the leaderboard.
"I am annoyed," Poulter said. "I made two putts which were outside birdie chances and took a couple more but the rest were missed. I am frustrated but happy to be only three behind (the lead).
"I need to continue to be aggressive and see if I can nick it at the end. It's a good mix to be really angry being three under par and still being in there for the next three days."
Rose proved Stenson's point about the players "running on fumes", the US Open champion revealing he is suffering from an inflamed shoulder that required an MRI scan recently.
But the 33 year old is happy to have control of his destiny, with a victory here giving him a second money list title - he won it in 2007 - regardless of other results.
"Henrik is making it hard for the rest of us but that's why I wanted it in my own hands and that's still the case, so my goal remains the same for the rest of the week," Rose said.
McDowell was happy to get himself back into contention, the Northern Irishman lying three over par after 13 holes before rolling in a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th.
Cañizares carded seven birdies and one bogey in his 66 before revealing his relief at being in Dubai at all after problems with his girlfriend's visa.
"My girlfriend is from the Czech Republic and I always forget she doesn't have a Spanish passport and needs a visa," Cañizares explained. "I only remembered when we got to the check-in desk at the airport in Turkey on Sunday evening and handed over the passports.
"Fortunately we had help from a lot of people and the tournament director Nick Tarratt was waiting with Dubai's captain of immigration when we got to Dubai at 3am on Monday morning."
Former World Number One Rory McIlroy had to settle for a one under 71 after being three under for his first four holes, but the 24 year old defending champion could at least report better news in terms of his focus on the course.
"It's much better than it has been the last few months and I am playing better, which is important," said McIlroy.
"It's good that the game is back on track. I have this event and two more so it would be great to get a win before the end of the season."
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