Calum Hill and Connor Syme among eight Scottish golfers competing in DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship in United Arab Emirates

Calum Hill in action at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links Golf Course in the United Arab Emirates (Pic: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Richie Ramsay, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest, Scott Jamieson, David Law and Marc Warren also feature in a field of 131 at the contest, on until Sunday.

Hill was joint-52nd on one below par and Syme tied for 75th on par in round one at time of going to press today.

It’s the pair’s third Middle East championship in a row and it follows Hill achieving his best finish yet in a Rolex Series event last weekend at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, won by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

Connor Syme playing in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates (Pic: Luke Walker/Getty Images)

The 28-year-old signed off with a 71 for an 11-under-par total and joint-13th place after making just his second start since returning to the sport full-time, having only played in three events last year due to a nerve problem caused by an insect bite.

Syme, 27, tied for 38th with a minus-seven total after bowing out with 71 too.

“I had fun,” said Hill looking back at his Dubai display.

“My ball-striking wasn’t quite as good on Monday and I missed a few putts and had a couple of three-putts.

“All in all, if I’d made a couple of more putts it would have been really good, but I can’t complain.

“It’s nice to have a decent week this week on the back of just missing out by one last week, so it’s a good start.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully pushing on now and having a good year.”

Hill was especially proud of his birdie at the 17th in the closing circuit. “I was completely short-sided, but I hit the best 36-yard lob shot I’ve hit in my life to about two feet,” he said.