DROITWICH professional John Bickerton was on course to keep pace with the leaders as the Dubai Desert Classic got under way today.

He was two under par after just seven holes following an eagle three at the par five third.

Bickerton, however, dropped a shot at the fifth, but pulled it back with a birdie two at the par three seventh.

Hereford's David Park was finding the going a bit tougher and was level par after nine holes. He suffered a bogey four at the fourth, but re-turned to level par with a birdie at the eighth.

Ernie Els kept up the incredible standard he has set this year with a sparkling start to the tournament.

Averaging 66 per round in his first five tournaments of the season the world number two repeated that for a share of the early lead with Scot Alastair Forsyth.

An immaculate short game - with one notable exception - took Els into his now familiar position.

The defending champion, who unlike Tiger Woods chose to play rather than withdraw because of the looming war with Iraq, went to the turn in five under par 32.

The exception was a missed three-footer at the 425-yard 16th, his seventh. That apart, Els displayed the touch that saw him set scoring records for both the European and US Tours in January and February.

A pitch to four feet on the long 10th got the ball rolling, then the world number two holed from 15 feet at the 12th, chipped to four feet on the next, converted a 10-foot chance at the 17th.

Then at the par five 18th got up and down for yet another birdie to complete another memorable round.