30 Jan 2009

Brown scratching his head at odd desert conditions

9:17 am on 30 January 2009

The New Zealand golfer Mark Brown's started well at the Dubai Desert Classic with a two under par 70.

It's Brown's first visit to the Middle East and the weather hasn't been what he was expecting.

He saw massive hailstones in Abu Dhabi, heavy rain in Quatar and now Dubai's opening round was affected by fog.

Brown is six strokes behind the early leader in Dubai, the Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy.

Half the field will have to complete their first rounds on Friday.