SCOTT COMES OUT SWINGING

Jamieson hits back at snipers who gave him stick over Abu Dhabi loss

- BERNIE MCGUIRE

SCOTT JAMIESON set about silencing the snipers who branded him a choker by posting a gutsy three-under 69 on the opening day of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Jamieson, in his first-round since his bitter disappointment last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, grabbed four birdies and dropped just the one shot.

That left him inside the top 20 and just four adrift of Dane JB Hansen, who signed for bogey-free 65 as he took the lead.

Hansen, who won the penultimate event of last year at the nearby Jumeirah Estates, leads the way by a shot from South African Justin Harding, who was on the par-five 18th green in three and at six-under when poor light halted play in the £6million event. .

American star Collin Morikawa dropped three shots over his closing four holes to be at four-under while Rory McIlroy walked the entire length of the practice putting green signing autographs after what he termed a "no-frills” 71.

Jamieson was out earlier in the day and delighted to head to lunch with a 69.