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An imperious Tiger Woods, who won the Buick Invitational in California by eight shots on Sunday, charged into a two-stroke lead midway through the Dubai Desert Classic first round.

The World Number One made his intentions clear from the start when he chipped up to an inch from the cup at the tenth hole, his first, for a birdie four that paved the way for a seven under par 65 at the Emirates Golf Club.

"I am definitely playing better than last week," Woods said. "I have had two good days of practice here and started to hit the ball a lot better.

The 44 year old Jiménez used a six iron to record a hole-in-one at the 186 yard seventh.

The former Ryder Cup player, who also started on the tenth, was four under for his last five holes after adding to his ace with birdies at the fifth and ninth.

Sergio Garcia was among a group of players back on 68.

“There were a couple of shots here and there that I guess still early in the year, but overall it was pretty solid,” said the Spaniard. “Still left easily two or three shots out there but it's getting better every day and that's the important thing. I had a good weekend last week, so just trying to keep it going.”

Woods provided an ominous early warning to his rivals by racing to the turn in 34, following his excellent chip at the tenth by rolling in an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th and birdieing the par five 18th after reaching the green in two.

The 32 year old American made further inroads on par when he holed a 20 foot putt at the first before striking a pinpoint seven iron to two feet at the fourth.

Woods, who won here two years ago, completed his round with two more successful birdie putts of eight feet at the seventh and eighth.

The 13-times Major Champion felt his first-round score could have been even better.

"I definitely missed a few (putts) today," said Woods. "I had a couple of good opportunities and just kind of ran them over the edge.

"But overall I couldn't ask for a better start. I hit the ball a lot more clean today and shaped the ball better."

Eight-times European Number One Colin Montgomerie, partnering Woods and Swede Niclas Fasth, stayed in close touch with the world number one until a late collapse meant he had to settle for a 72.

Montgomerie took a six at the par-four sixth after finding an unplayable lie before chalking up his second double-bogey in four holes after hitting his ball into the water at the last.