Kipp Popert and Steven Alderson hold leads in their respective tournaments after the opening round of the G4D Tour Series Finale @ DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The season-ending event features a ten-strong field, with seven players vying to win the gross title and three teeing it up with the aim of becoming the net winner.
Englishman Popert, who sits atop the World Ranking For Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), carded an opening four-under 68 over the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Monday, with Australia’s Lachlan Wood a shot adrift.
Wayne Perske, who like countryman Wood is making his debut in Dubai this week, sits third at one under as the only other player to break par.
Alderson, who secured an emotional triumph on his G4D Tour debut in Spain last month, is on track to make it back-to-back net victories after an eight-over 80 earned him a five-shot advantage over his nearest challenger Mike Wraight.
Popert, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is targeting his fifth G4D Tour title of the campaign.
He opened with back-to-back birdies, before dropping his only shot of the day at the third but he was flawless from there as he picked up shots at the seventh, tenth and 13th.
Wood held the lead with two holes to play but closed out his day with a pair of bogeys as he looks to win for the second time on the G4D Tour.
“To get this opportunity is amazing, and I just want to make sure the competitiveness is seen.," Popert said.
"As disabled athletes we all want to be great, and we all want to play for a living or fight like the able-bodied men and women do in tournaments.
"It’s just awesome, we have good camaraderie, and it is great fun.
“I like winning any time. I love competition. It is what I play for. It is why I play golf, to compete. To have these tournaments and this opportunity is what I love to do.”
Since lifting the G4D Tour @ Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters title last month, Alderson has since won back in his homeland and outperformed G4D Tour debutant Wraight and Robin Singh – winner of the inaugural G4D Tour net event in Ras Al Khaimah.
A birdie at the 15th saw the Australian get back to four over before dropping shots over the final three holes.
The final round of the two-day event will take place on Wednesday.
