Charl Schwartzel's hot streak continues in Abu Dhabi

CHARL Schwartzel has been tipped for super-stardom ever since he won a European Tour card just after his 18th birthday in 2002 - and maybe now it is about to happen.

The 26-year-old South African's dazzling form in his home country this winter continued yesterday when he fired an eight-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead over Padraig Harrington in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Schwartzel, winner of the Joburg Open for a second successive year last Sunday, is now an incredible 60-under-par for his last 13 rounds. Not one of them has been higher than 70.

He had a 61 in the second round last week but, against a stellar field - all four current major champions, plus world No 1 Lee Westwood - and on a far tougher test, his start to the Tour's Middle East swing was probably even better.

"It was a fantastic round," said the world No 23. "The course is set up the toughest I've seen it. You have to have everything on song otherwise you are going to struggle."

Not for the first time, Harrington has changed all sorts of things in his game during his lay-off over Christmas. The 39-year-old Dubliner expects them to take a year to bed in, so he was thrilled to start his season so well.

Harrington's round included a chip-in eagle at the 597-yard eighth - his 17th - although that owed a little to the luck of the Irish.

The shot was struck too hard and he admitted: "I was shocked it went in at that pace.

"On another day that would have been 69. There were some errors in there, but I certainly got the most out of it."

US Open champion Graeme McDowell came home in 30 as he joined Swedes Alex Noren and Niclas Fasth in third place on 66. Playing partner and Masters champion Phil Mickelson, joint fourth in the world with McDowell, managed only a 71 on his desert debut but USPGA winner and defending champion Martin Kaymer shot 67 to be well in the hunt for a third win in four years at the tournament.

On a day when most of the Scottish contingent played in the afternoon, Colin Montgomerie and Peter Whiteford led the way with 70s to sit in a tie for 23rd.

Paul Lawrie, who hadn't put a foot wrong before he spilled four shots in five holes from the 12th, had to settle for 74 to sit alongside David Drysdale and Gary Orr, with Marc Warren and Richie Ramsay (both 76) and Steven O'Hara (77) all facing a fight to make the cut.

Stephen Gallacher, three-over after 17, was in the only group that was unable to complete their round due to darkness.

On the PGA Tour, Martin Laird opened with a four-under 68 to sit four shots off the lead in the Bob Hope Classic at La Quinta.