Rasmus Lia says it was “special” to have his father caddie for him for the first time as he opened up a one-shot lead after the first round of the G4D Tour Series Finale @ DP World Tour Championship.
The Swede is one of eight leading disability golfers teeing it up in Dubai on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in the final G4D Tour event of the inaugural season.
Lia shot a three-over-par 75 as the 21-year-old edged ahead of American Chris Biggins and Spaniard Juan Postigo Arce, who are at four over, with Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor one shot further adrift.
“This was my first event where my father has been with me,” Lia said.
“He was caddying for me today and I think he did quite well. It was special.”
Lia, playing in the opening two-ball of the day, birdied the first before he bounced back from a bogey at the fourth with another gain at the sixth to hit the turn in one-under par.
He then bounced back from bogeys at the 13th and 16th to make a birdie at the par-three 17th, before a triple-bogey eight at the last.
Despite that disappointing finish, he was determined to focus on the positives: “I'm very pleased, it was a good round,” he added.
“They were tough pin positions, I just tried to hit the fairway off the tee and give myself a good position into the flags. I played solid.
“I try to hit it hard but you have to hold back a bit to get it in the fairway.
“There was a lot of positives. I made three birdies today and a couple of par saves as well. I think I putted quite nicely today and made a few good two-putts.
“I didn't play my best on the last hole but that's how it is.
"I've just got to try to do what I did today: play solid and get myself in good positions but play 18 a bit different.”
Biggins mixed one birdie with five bogeys in his opening 76, while playing partner Postigo's day saw a fluctuation of fortunes.
The Spaniard played the front nine in four over before he recovered from a double-bogey at the 11th to make three birdies in a four-hole stretch, with a further bogey at the 16th seeing him also card a 76.
Ranked second in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability, Lawlor, who won last year’s EDGA Dubai finale on the same course, was two over after his first birdie of the day at the eighth but was unable to build any momentum from there.
World Number One Kipp Popert, who has won four titles on the G4D Tour this season, is three shots adrift of the lead in a share of fifth place with Kurtis Barkley.
