Armitage carded 11 birdies and two bogeys at Al Hamra Golf Club in the UAE to finish on nine under par, with compatriot Jack Senior, Sweden's Alexander Bjork and Spain's Ivan Cantero his nearest challengers on five under.Â
Scrivener was Armitage's playing partner, and it was an observation from the caddie of the Australian that seemed to work wonders for the Englishman on Thursday.
What an opening round �— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) @marcusarmitage1 sets the pace with an incredible 63 (-9) 🔥#RAKGolfChampsJanuary 23, 2025
They were in the first group out from the 10th at 7.10am and made the ideal start by holing from 40 feet for birdie.Â
"Jason Scrivener's caddie said to me, 'You always hole a couple of 40-footers when we play with you' - and then I holed a few more 35, 36 footers after that!" smiled Armitage.
"It went in with a lovely pace and it's a tough hole to open up, especially with a 4.30am alarm!Â
"I had a great chance up three as well, just pulled a five-wood, got a wicked bounce down a cart path and left me with a horrible 62-yarder back towards that water. I just got it a little bit bottom groove and it didn't stop.Â
"But I bounced back straight away with a birdie on four. It wasn't a perfect round of golf, but the score was pretty much perfect.Â
"It's been my best score in quite a few years so I'm really pleased with it," added Armitage, who won the European Open in 2021 but finished 103rd on the Race to Dubai last year.Â
"It just shows that a bit of time off, rest the mind and come back fresh and apply yourself and I've still got the game."
Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington was part of a four-strong group on four under following a 68, while defending champion Thorbjorn Olesen returned a two-under-par 70.
Australian David Micheluzzi, fresh from his excellent top-eight finish at last week's Dubai Desert Classic, opened up with a one-under 71, while Scrivener went round in level-par 72.
