Conor Purcell was in the third-to-last group on day one of the DP World Tour’s Qatar Masters and the Portmarnock man managed to squeeze in 17 holes before play was called to a halt as darkness descended on the Persian Gulf.

Having made his first cut as a full DP World Tour member last week, Purcell was looking to back it up and improve this week, but despite a two-putt birdie at the par-5 10th – his first – a double bogey-six on the next and a bogey on the par-3 13th saw him slip to +2 after four holes.

That would be his final slip-up on the day, however, and a birdie on the par-5 18th got him back to +1 at the turn, and further birdies on five and seven – both par-4s and the latter courtesy of a three-footer after a pinpoint wedge – were enough to see him reach what was supposed to be his final hole of the day in red figures.

But by then, light had receded to the point of darkness and he’ll return tomorrow morning at 07:00 local time to tackle the par-5 ninth, knowing that a birdie would lift him to around tied for 30th at the completion of round one, well on course to make it back-to-back weekends with competitive action.

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen shares the first-round lead with Brandon Robinson Thompson after recovering from an opening bogey to post a sensational 66.

The 25-year-old Dane has made a bright start to the new campaign following a stunning 2024 in which he won three times on the HotelPlanner Tour to earn automatic promotion to the DP World Tour.

And despite an early blip in windy conditions at Doha Golf Club, where he dropped a shot at the first hole after missing his 14-foot par putt, Neergaard-Petersen continued his fine recent form as he made seven birdies and no bogeys over the next 17 holes to set the early clubhouse target at six-under-par.

Englishman Robinson Thompson then caught Neergaard-Petersen at the summit late in the afternoon after draining his 60-foot birdie putt on the eighth – his penultimate hole.

Robinson Thompson, who smashed the course record as he opened with a 61 in Bahrain last week, had a chance to hold the outright first-round lead for the second week in a row but was unable to make his birdie putt from 10 feet on the ninth and had to settle for a share.

Italy’s Andrea Pavan and England’s Sam Bairstow were in a tie for third one shot behind the co-leaders after shooting 67s.

Frenchman Pierre Pineau and Armenia’s Jean Bekirian were another shot back with two holes still to complete when play was called to a halt.

Neergaard-Petersen began the tournament with a bogey but bounced back immediately at the second, holing from eight feet for a birdie.

He repeated the trick at the fourth from a similar distance before picking up further shots on the seventh and ninth as he reached the turn in 33.

Neergaard-Petersen then made it back-to-back birdies from tap-in range at the 10h to get to four-under.

A 30-foot birdie followed on the 13th before another gain at the 14th took Neergaard-Petersen to six-under.

He said: “I’m extremely pleased, even after the bogey at the first. To bounce back like that was huge.

“I felt really good into the greens today and was able to roll in some putts. It was a lovely day.

“I made a conscious effort this week to try and start fast. I told my caddie, Brian, going into this week that was the main goal, get off to a good start, be under par through six and take it from there.”

Robinson Thompson started from the tenth tee on Thursday and mixed four birdies with one bogey on his way to the turn.

After making a ten-foot birdie on the par-five first, he had to wait until the seventh for his next gain before going back-to-back from long range at the eighth.

Three good shots into the long ninth set up a decent birdie chance at his last hole but Robinson Thompson was unable to convert and had to make do with a closing par.

He said: “Just a lot of good stuff out there today. Tricky conditions with the wind, but first and foremost the golf course is in unbelievable condition. The guys at Doha Golf Club have done such a good job. I just took advantage of opportunities that came my way.

“The first round is always important, it can get you in the tournament, you can relax and build on it. This is almost like a home game for me. I’ve been here so many times and I’m so comfortable here.

“I had some people out watching as well. It’s just fun to be here. I’m comfortable on the golf course. I’m staying with a really good friend of mine. With the course being as good as I’ve ever seen it, it’s exciting to play, because I know the course, and it’s awesome.

“I just love golf. Full stop. I love competing. I’m so happy to be out here on the DP World Tour. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and I’m living the dream.”

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