Goosen in front at Qatar Masters

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Retief Goosen had a 3-under-par 69 Thursday and owns the clubhouse lead in first-round play of the European Tour's Qatar Masters.

High winds made the Doha Golf Club course more challenging and play was stopped because of darkness with several groups still on the course. They are to finish their opening rounds Friday before the second round starts.

Goosen, who won this event four years ago, had five birdies and two bogeys in his round. Niclas Fasth birdied No. 16 just before play was stopped and is at 3-under with two holes left in his first round.

Darren Fichardt, Richard Finch and defending champion Robert Karlsson are all in at 2-under and four other golfers are tied at 1-under. Those nine are the only players in the 131-golfer field to break par.

Goosen played the back nine first Thursday and had birdies at No. 12, 14 and 16 to more than offset a 15th-hole bogey. He moved to 3-under with a birdie at the first hole but gave that one back with bogey at No. 4. He closed with a birdie.

Fasth overcame back-to-back bogeys during his first nine but it was a birdie on his final hole of the day that pulled him into a tie with Goosen.