By John Tully-Jackson
Hideto Tanihara found a quick remedy to the heartache suffered by the host continent at last week’s EurAsia Cup in Malaysia after easing into a share of the lead on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Thursday.

A scintillating 66 saw the man from Japan join reigning champion Tommy Fleetwood atop the leaderboard. Just as Fleetwood will have raised few eyebrows with six-under circuit, neither should the fact Tanihara is keeping him company come as any great surprise.

The world No. 71 and 14-time Japan Golf Tour winner won two of his three matches in Asia’s tight 14-10 loss to Europe in Malaysia and swept aside several of this week’s field, as well as Jordan Spieth, before being pipped by eventual winner Dustin Johnson in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship last season.

“It’s a tough course here,” said Tanihara. “Didn’t hit fairways so much but I’m thinking more about playing smart golf and making good putts. (Isao) Aoki, he won on The European Tour, and I’m just trying to focus on winning on The European Tour.”

With that said, the 39-year-old is by no means safe at the top. In a high calibre and tightly bunched chasing pack are myriad threats, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger (both 67), Matthew Fitzpatrick and Andrew “Beef” Johnston (both 68) notable among them.

Nine players share third spot, including Scots Stephen Gallacher and Richie Ramsay, both of whom posted -4 68s on Thursday in a welcome return to the business end of the leaderboard.

Gallacher has had a tough old time of it since winning the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2014 and forcing his way into the Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles.

The Scotsman glided to eight top-10 finishes four years ago, but has managed only three in as many seasons since then.

“It was great, yeah. Played lovely the front nine. Gave myself a chance. Got to four-under. Only missed one green of the 18 and was never really outside 15-, 20-foot. Holed a few putts. Didn’t really play that great on the back nine, but you know, four-under is pretty good since the 1st of November [his last round].”

Ramsay, like Gallacher, carded only one bogey in his opening round.

“Yeah, very happy, probably the best opening round of the season I’ve ever had. Ball-striking was really good. I got four new clubs in the bag, so I love the added distance off the tee and I drove it well which is key around here.

“Just very consistent. Really pleased. Attitude was good. Everything was really nice. I think just coming out here, getting good practice in the nice weather was key to that.”