Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier have made strong starts at the Dubai Desert Classic, the first big tournament of the DP World Tour season.

The New Zealand duo both opened with four-under rounds of 68 to sit in a share of ninth place, three back from the lead.

Three players share the lead at seven-under – Aussie David Micheluzzi, Ricardo Gouveia of Portugal and American amateur David Ford.

The winner of the event receives US$1,530,000 (NZ$2.67m).

Hillier had the hot driver of the day, gaining 2.56 strokes off the tee in a round that included five birdies and a bogey. Fox was a bit more mixed with six birdies and two bogeys.

Jon Rahm (three-under) and Rory McIlroy (two-under) remain in striking distance of the lead.

Tyrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre are at one-under while Viktor Hovland struggled to finish three-over.

“It was a bit scrappy,” McIlroy said.

“First competitive round of the year. First competitive round in a while. A little uncomfortable over some shots. Definitely not as comfortable as I was in practice and coming in here.

“But it’s nice to get a card in your hand. It sort of exposes the things that you need to work on. I got it around today. I got it around and got it in in a couple under, which is nice, and didn’t put myself out of the tournament, which is the main thing.”