Both began with back-to-back birdies, with a beautiful approach from the world no.25 leaving a two-foot tap-in at the first.
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They carded matching birdies at the seventh, and while Fleetwood edged ahead at the next, Lowry spun a sublime shot to 10 inches at the ninth to turn in 32.
They continued to trade birdie for birdie at 10 and 11 before Lowry’s sole dropped shot of the day, missing a shot par putt at the 12th.
He recovered well with birdies on 13, equalled by Fleetwood, and 14. The Southport pro, who is a two-time winner of this event, nudged ahead on 16, but Lowry birdied the last for his 64.
“It was nice. I was pretty excited when I saw the group, my pairing today,” said Lowry.
“I was paired with him in India and I shot 64 the first day as well so there’s something about me and Tommy.
“But no, I just like playing with your friends and they’re really good players too so you feed off each other.”
Sterne, who finished runner-up to Lowry in 2019, finished with an inch-perfect 75-foot eagle putt at the last.
Rory McIlroy also enjoyed a positive opening day, closing for a four-under 68.
He opened with birdies at 2 and 3 before his sole dropped shot of the day at 5, when failing to recover from a greenside bunker.
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'There's something about me and Tommy': Shane Lowry off to a flier in Abu Dhabi
LAST UPDATE | 6 Nov 2025
SHANE LOWRY IS back in contention at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after firing an opening round of 64 at Yas Links.
The 2019 champion ended the morning in a four-way tie for the lead alongside Tommy Fleetwood, Richard Sterne, and Kazuma Kobori on eight-under par.
Ryder Cup heroes, Lowry and Fleetwood, were playing together as they quickly stole a march up the leaderboard.
Both began with back-to-back birdies, with a beautiful approach from the world no.25 leaving a two-foot tap-in at the first.
They carded matching birdies at the seventh, and while Fleetwood edged ahead at the next, Lowry spun a sublime shot to 10 inches at the ninth to turn in 32.
They continued to trade birdie for birdie at 10 and 11 before Lowry’s sole dropped shot of the day, missing a shot par putt at the 12th.
He recovered well with birdies on 13, equalled by Fleetwood, and 14. The Southport pro, who is a two-time winner of this event, nudged ahead on 16, but Lowry birdied the last for his 64.
“It was nice. I was pretty excited when I saw the group, my pairing today,” said Lowry.
“I was paired with him in India and I shot 64 the first day as well so there’s something about me and Tommy.
“But no, I just like playing with your friends and they’re really good players too so you feed off each other.”
Sterne, who finished runner-up to Lowry in 2019, finished with an inch-perfect 75-foot eagle putt at the last.
Rory McIlroy also enjoyed a positive opening day, closing for a four-under 68.
He opened with birdies at 2 and 3 before his sole dropped shot of the day at 5, when failing to recover from a greenside bunker.
McIlroy, who has finished second four times in this tournament, bounced back with a birdie at 7.
He drove the green for birdie at the 394-yard par-four 10th for birdie before notching another at 11.
Recently crowned Hong Kong Open champion Tom McKibbon got off on the wrong foot finishing with a three-over 75.
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