Dubai (UAE): The pre-event talk was of Tiger Woods but the early leader board at the 2006 Dubai Desert Classic has an unusual mix of names as one of the world's biggest stars, a former Classic champion and a man who has yet to win a European Tour title are all tied after opening rounds of 64 (-8).

Back in Dubai for the first time in five years, world number three Retief Goosen set the mark for the others to chase before the 1997 Desert Classic champion Richard Green of Australia matched it just seconds later.

They were quickly joined by the unlikely figure of Welshman Jamie Donaldson who matched the best round of his career with yet another 64 over the Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club.

"I've always enjoyed coming here since my first visit in 1993," said South African Goosen after an immaculate opening round in the $2.4 million Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL)-sponsored tournament. "It's a golf course I like, although I've not won on it. Hopefully this week I can get something going and give myself a chance come Sunday."

For Green, the man who lifted the Classic crown as a relative unknown nine years ago, the opening 18 holes was a welcome return to Dubai for a player who travels the world but who enjoys residency status in the emirate.

"I always enjoy coming here so to play well today certainly brought back memories of 1997," he said. "The conditions were perfect in the morning and would reward good golf but you still have to do the work and make the birdies. If you'd offered me a 64 at breakfast I would certainly have taken it."

If the names of Goosen and Green are no surprise at the head of the field, then that of Jamie Donaldson is certainly unusual. The sufferer of terrible back trouble, Donaldson closed his round with a remarkable string of six birdies to share the lead with Goosen and Green, two shots ahead of England's David Lynn and home favourite Ross Bain on 66 (-6).

"I've been working with a spine correction specialist and he gives me exercises to do every month which I do every other day and probably five to six times a week when I'm off," said Donaldson. "You keep hitting golf balls and over time it gradually gets worse. Now I'm doing a lot of exercising and a lot of conditioning and the back is as strong as it's ever been. I've never had six birdies in a row so it's obviously paying dividends."

Woods carried a huge gallery with him as he made his first appearance in the Gulf for two years. By the end of six holes, Woods was already four-under par and moving ominously up the field, but his challenge failed to maintain momentum and he goes into day two having finished with a 67 (-5) some three shots off the leaders.

"It was a lot of fun out there," smiled Woods, after enjoying an impressive three-ball with Darren Clarke and the up-and-coming Swede Henrik Stenson. "Darren and I are great friends and Henrik is also becoming a friend so we enjoyed the round. I couldn't have asked for a better start but then I didn't really do much else. But I'm still right there and have the early morning start tomorrow."

Although Stenson, the Golf in Dubai (GiD) ambassador, appeared to be struggling to match Woods' early form, he soon eased himself back into the round ending the day tied with the American on 67 (-5).

One shot better than both Stenson and Woods after a brilliant opening day 66 (-6) is 30-year-old Bain who delighted his home supporters with a birdie-eagle finish to end the day just two shots behind the early leaders.

"I've played enough tournaments to know that we are only 18 holes into a 72-hole competition," smiled the Scot, who is representing Emirates, the UAE's international airline. "If you'd said I'd be one shot better than Tiger Woods at this stage I'd certainly have settled for that. But seriously, it's been a great day and if I can keep making the putts then who knows what might happen?"

The second day's play in the Dubai Desert Classic gets underway at 7.25am on Friday (Feb 3).

Besides DUBAL as the main sponsor of the Desert Classic, CNN International, Emaar, Dubai Waterfront by Nakheel, and Samsung as co-sponsors, other sponsors include: Emirates as official airline and Hole-in-One Sponsor; official caterer, hotel and challenge match sponsor Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa; Official Bank National Bank of Dubai; official courtesy car BMW; and event newspaper Gulf News.