Richard Sterne leads Stephen Gallacher by one after first round of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

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Richard Sterne birdied three of his first four holes Thursday to take early control at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

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Michael Casey

Associated Press

Series: European Tour

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Richard Sterne nearly broke the course record at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday, shooting 10-under 62 in the first round to finish one shot ahead of Stephen Gallacher.

The 165th-ranked South African, who has struggled in recent years with back problems, started with three birdies on his first four holes. Sterne was on pace to break the course record of 61 set by Ernie Els in 1994, but couldn't convert late birdie chances.

''It's as good a start as I could have hoped for,'' said Sterne, whose back trouble limited him to a handful of tournaments in 2010 and 2011.

Gallacher also had a strong start with three birdies and an eagle on the front nine en route to his 63. He had two straight bogeys on the back before an eagle and three birdies on the final four holes to pull into contention.

Scott Jamieson, Chris Doak and Tommy Fleetwood shot 65s. Paul Casey was another stroke back, while Lee Westwood shot a 67, five behind the leader. Sergio Garcia, who finished second last week in Qatar, shot a 68.

Westwood said he ''really enjoyed'' the first round. The Englishman has been through a lot of changes in the offseason -- moving his family to the United States, and adding some new clubs to his bag. But unlike top-ranked Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut in Abu Dhabi with his new Nike clubs, Westwood didn't seem to miss a beat in his season-opening tournament.

''Very sharp, made some nice putts, and I played better today than I finished off the last few tournaments so really pleased,'' Westwood said. ''It was steady. Still not made any bogeys this year, so it's good ... It didn't feel like the first round of the year.''

Westwood will spend the evening at the nearby Meydan Racecourse cheering on Rerouted, a 5-year-old horse he co-owns with his manager, which is running in the Dubai Casthouse Trophy.

Two-time major winner Mark O'Meara also shot 67, playing the kind of golf that earned him the 2004 Dubai title.

''I realize that I can't hit the ball like the kids can, but yet I'm still driving it a reasonable distance, and around here it's so important to hit the fairway, and I drove the ball pretty well today,'' said O'Meara, who won in Dubai when he was 47. ''I kept the ball in play most all day long and that enabled me to be a little more aggressive and hit more greens.

''Listen, when I can hit the ball like that and give myself opportunities, I look forward to getting back out there tomorrow.'

Don't Forget About Aaron Mellette

Posted Jan 14, 2014

Garrett DowningBaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer@Ravens All Garrett Downing Articles



The rookie wide receiver could make an impact once he returns from a knee injury.


The Ravens have their sights set on adding a wide receiver over the next few months.

Finding quarterback Joe Flacco another reliable pass catcher is one of the top offseason priorities, especiallyconsidering wide receiver Jacoby Jones and tight end Dennis Pitta are both unrestricted free agents. General Manager Ozzie Newsome made it clear that the Ravens will explore all options to bring in another target.



As the Ravens go through their search to add another receiver, fans shouldn’t forget about a young player already on the roster: Aaron Mellette.

“Aaron is going to be a guy who’s going to be in the mix,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said last week.

Mellette, a seventh-round pick from college football subdivision school Elon, initially made the 53-man roster out of training camp after a strong preseason. He spent one week on the active roster before a knee injury ended his season and forced him to injured reserve.

Mellette had torn cartilage in his knee, but is expected to be full strength when the Ravens begin voluntary workouts in April. He will have a full offseason to develop and compete for a significant role within the offense.

Mellette, 6-foot-2, 217 pounds, showed tremendous potential during his limited opportunities in the preseason. Harbaugh said that Mellette “showed a lot as a deep ball wide receiver and a red-zone threat,” and he had nine catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

The red zone and deep passing game were two areas where the Ravens struggled during the regular season, and getting Mellette back in action could be one element to help fix the issues in the passing game.