SIMON Dyson made a solid start to golf’s Dubai Desert Classic as he looks to break back into the world’s top 100.

The North Yorkshire star, who finished seventh in the Qatar Masters at the weekend, carded a one-under par 71 on day one of the Emirates Golf Club tournament.

The world number 109 parred the first seven holes before claiming a birdie on the eighth.

He started the back nine in equally consistent fashion, playing the first five holes in level par.

He dropped a shot on the par-three 15th, but got back to one-under with a birdie at the par-five closing hole.

Dyson was eclipsed by the performance of Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy, who produced a timely eight-under-par 64 to open up a one-stroke lead.

The talented 19-year-old carded nine birdies to lead Sweden’s Robert Karlsson by a shot.

McIlroy’s only blemish came on his fourth hole, but he made amends as he holed from 15 feet on the last for a birdie to ensure the outright lead.

European number one Karlsson, a Ryder Cup winner in 2006, carded a bogey-free seven-under 65 to sit in the clubhouse a shot clear of early pacesetter Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.