But this has been no ordinary start to the 11^th edition of the Ladies European Tour season-ender, the tragic death of Austrian caddy Max Zechmann on Wednesday forcing the first round to spill over to Thursday and players to take stock of what really matters.

“It puts a lot into perspective…I’m just thankful to be able to be here today and to be able to play golf,” said Woods after an opening 68 saw her share second place with France’s Sophie Giquel-Bettan at -4, a shot shy of English pace-setter Florentyna Parker.

Woods looked poised to own the lead outright after picking up yesterday where she left off on Wednesday when play was suspended out of respect for Zechmann. Resuming at -4 through six holes, the sporting world’s most recognisable niece rattled off three successive birdies on the 18^th, 1^st and 2^nd holes to lead at -7.

But a bogey on the 4^th and the double on her penultimate hole, when she pushed her drive into the sand on the testing dogleg par 4 before playing dodgems with a palm tree, stalled Woods’ momentum.

“Yeah, that was not very good. It was ugly,” Woods said of the setback on the 8th which required a second thwack out of the sand, a chip and two putts to complete.

“Despite that, I thought I played a really solid round. I hit the ball well and gave myself a lot of chances for birdies and my putter felt great, so I’m really happy with today. I feel like I’m in a great position and I think I can do even better tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to it.”

While some struggled to read the Majlis’ quick, carpet-esque greens, the LPGA Tour player cannot wait to wield her new Callaway putter again Friday in the penultimate round of the shortened 54-holer.

“I have a really good vision when I’m out there. I can really see the breaks and feel them. I struggled a little bit with speed towards the end of the round but overall I loved the greens out here and they are in great shape and I’m really rolling the ball well,” said Woods here finished 20^th in her only other visit to Dubai in 2014.

“Having a little bit of history out here two years ago I played, it’s kind of nice to have some, I don’t know, some memories of where the flags were, how the greens roll or which way to play the holes. I would say I’m maybe more comfortable with the golf course.”

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The three-time defending champion wrestled with an icy cold putter in the opening round of the €500,000 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Thursday and was even forced to play a late shot left-handed.

But the 27-year-old world No.4 still managed to conquer up an even par 70 around the Majlis to settle into a 16-way tie for 31^st place overnight. More importantly, the Chinese superstar is just five shots adrift of overnight leader Florentyna Parker (England) and knows how to go low in Dubai, illustrated by her record 21-under-par winning totals in 2015 and 2012.

“My ball-striking was actually very good. I had so many birdie chances but my putting wasn’t really working,” Feng said.

“I was missing all the short birdie putts and also the par putts, also. I think even par is not a great score, but I still feel like at least I tried my best.”

It was unusual not to see Feng’s name on the leaderboard and the Omega ambassador found herself in another foreign position on the 17th when her ball nestled so close to the lip of a fairway bunker she was forced to play her second shot left-handed.

Typically she escaped with a gritty par to ensure her card was no more topsy-turvy than three birdies and three bogeys suggested.

“I had to go left-handed, but then I had to call the rules official to ask if I could use the back of my club to actually hit the ball,” she said.

“I’ve never done that, so before I hit it, I didn’t even know where the ball was going, but I just gave it a swing, and actually it went like 70 yards. My caddie said, oh, you surprised me, you actually can hit it 70 yards. I was really happy I saved a par there.”

With the tournament reduced to 54-holes following the tragic death of caddy Max Zechmann on Wednesday, Feng will be looking for a fast start Friday but thinks she may have found the source of her putting ills.

“I think maybe my posture was a little bit off, and then I think my putting was getting better towards the end but I didn’t have too many holes left when I started to feel like I could putt. Yeah, that was it.”

With that seemingly sorted, don’t be surprised to see Feng scooting up the leaderboard Friday to give herself a shot at a fourth title.

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Thomas Bjorn, Europe’s freshly unveiled captain for the 2018 Ryder Cup matches in France, led the out-pouring of grief after Zechmann collapsed near the 13^th green on the opening morning of the Ladies European Tour event at Emirates Golf Club.

Zechmann, pictured (far right) caddying for France’s Anne-Lise Caudal just moments before he collapsed, later died in Rashid Hospital. He is survived by his wife Elinor and three sons Maximilian, Ryan and Marco and had reportedly retired to Dubai two years ago after winning with European Tour players Marcel Siem and Marcus Brier.

“Dreadful news out of Dubai this morning. Thoughts are with loved ones and everyone involved. RIP,” Bjorn said.

Finland’s Mikko Ilonen added: “We’ve lost another great guy. RIP Big Max”.

We've lost another great guy.. ?
RIP Big Max

— Mikko Ilonen (@MikkoIlonen) December 7, 2016

Carly Booth, the 24-year-old Scot playing alongside two-time LET winner Caudal and US star Blair O’Neal, described the experience as “horrendous”. “Tough start today for our group to experience something so horrendous. Thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Max #sadday”

At a loss for words. The tragedy that happened today in our group really puts life into perspective. My goes out to the family #ripMax

— Blair O'Neal (@BLAIRONEAL) December 7, 2016

Fellow bagman Gary Marshall tweeted; “R.I.P. Big Max Zechmann. A true gentleman. Well done @LETgolf for your act of respect too. Sad days.”

Marshall’s comments come after officials were heavily criticised for allowing play to continue when 52-year-old Zimbabwean Ian MacGregor, caddying for Scot Alastair Forsyth at the Madeira Islands Open in May 2014, died in similar circumstances.

Zechmann’s death is a double tragedy for Emirates Golf Club after founding member and former captain Ashok Bakshi, then 75, died after suffering cardiac arrest on the range before the Pro-Am at the 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Play was officially suspended at 10.30am on Wednesday and abandoned for the day shortly afterwards as a mark of respect for Zechmann and the “shocked” players, caddies and tournament staff.

The €500,000 tournament will now be decided over 54 holes with the first round resuming at 8.15am on Thursday (UAE time).

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Dubai Ladies Masters rocked by death of caddy

Florentyna Parker tops the leaderboard at -7 after the 26-year-old Englishwoman negotiated the Majlis’ homeward nine (after teeing off on the 10^th) in a scarcely believable 30 stokes, her only blemishes being pars on the 11^th and 14^th holes.

Cheyenne Woods (USA) was second at -4 while Whitney Hillier and France’s Jade Schaeffer were a further shot back. Australian Hillier’s -3 total through five holes included a hole in one on the 171 yard 4th hole.

But it all paled into insignificance on a day when golf was secondary as LPGA Tour hopeful/social media influencer Paige Spiranac, +4 through six holes, so poignantly tweeted.

“Praying for the family and friends of the caddy. It just shows you that there’s so much more to life than a good or bad round.”

Praying for the family and friends of the caddie. It just shows you that there's so much more to life than a good or bad round https://t.co/Tizleg3nc0

— Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) December 7, 2016

Dreadful news out of dubai this morning.
Thoughts are with loved ones and everyone involved.@LETgolf
RIP

— Thomas Bjørn (@thomasbjorngolf) December 7, 2016

R.I.P Big Max Zechmann. A true gentleman. Well done @LETgolf for your act of respect too. Sad days.

— Tartancaddy (@tartancaddy) December 7, 2016

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