The defending champion reacted angrily after photographers snapped pictures while he teed off, and tossed his club onto the ground after missing a putt.

"A little frustrating out there," Woods said. "Last week I putted great and today I didn't putt so good."

Ross Fisher and Graeme McDowell both shot 7-under 65s to share the lead. Ernie Els, expected to be Woods' main competition, was another stroke back at 66 in a three-way tie for third with Jose Manuel Lara and Jyoti Randhawa.

Woods came to Dubai after winning the Buick Invitational on Sunday for his seventh straight win on the PGA Tour. The Dubai tournament won't affect the streak because it's a PGA European Tour event.

Woods knows what he needs to do in the next three rounds to reclaim his title.

"Work. Bust my butt. That's how you do it," he said. "I just need to do a little work here around the greens and get my stroke organized."

Woods didn't get off to a great start at the Emirates Golf Club. He parred the first hole but sent his tee shot on the second hole into a row of trees.

He finished the hole with a bogey, but immediately made up for it with a birdie on the third. On the eighth hole, Woods was annoyed by the noisy photographers.

"Nice going guys, thanks," he said sarcastically when his ball rolled into the long grass on the edge of the fairway.

Woods then missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the hole and slapped his thigh in anger after making par.

Still, Woods started the back nine with a pair of birdies. He then gave a stroke back on the 12th with his second bogey of the day, leading to another moment of anger.

When it was over, Woods was disappointed.

"I left a lot of opportunities out there," Woods said. "I didn't putt well. I didn't put the ball on line with my putts. It was frustrating because the greens are really nice out there. I just have to get some work in here."

Els, playing on the back nine first, also started par-bogey on his first two holes. But the South African followed with an eagle and three straight birdies to get near the top of the leaderboard.

"It was a nice start," said Els, a three-time Dubai champion. "To be 6 under after the first round, you always take that."

Woods' playing partner, Miguel Angel Jimenez, stayed ahead of the world's top-ranked golfer for the entire round. Jimenez finished with a 67, including a 40-foot birdie putt on the 16th.

"I did good," Jimenez said, nodding at Woods. "He's tough to beat."

Fisher, however, was the surprise leader in a field that also includes Henrik Stenson (68), Paul Casey (70) and Sergio Garcia (73).

"Obviously it's a tremendous thrill," the Englishman said. "I along with Ernie Els am trying to get to where he (Woods) is, but it's proving very, very difficult."