On the eighth hole – with an eight-iron – Åberg got a perfect hit, the ball landed a few meters before the hole and rolled into the cup.
It was the Swede's second hole-in-one of the year. The first came in February, in the PGA Tour competition Genesis Invitational.
The dream shot at Yas Island was the starting shot for a climb in the scoreboard. The Swede made a birdie on hole 10, sank a putt for eagle on the following hole and then made another birdie, after which he went five holes in a row under par.
Tough in the bunker
On the final hole, Åberg ended up in the bunker and barely managed to get the ball out. He lost a stroke and remained at minus 4 after the opening round in the 30-degree heat.
Åberg is parring at 68 strokes, the same number as world number two Rory McIlroy.
Fellow countryman Mikael Lindberg also finished the first round at four under par. Joakim Lagergren was responsible for a par round (72 strokes).
Alex Norén was going strong and was seven under par when he made a bogey, a miss that could have been repaired with a birdie on the 16th but he needed a putt too much. Norén then made par on the 17th before finishing on the best note.
Norén has a sense of smell
The putt went in for a birdie on hole 18, a par 5. With –7, he is the best Swede after the first round and has a good feeling.
"It was nice out there. I putted really well. I have my putting coach with me and we have been practicing a lot the last few days. It paid off," he tells the tour's website.
Five players – for example Tommy Fleetwood, England, and Shane Lowry, Ireland – lead at -8.
Norén finished fifth in the competition two years ago and enjoys the track.
It's a wonderful place. The conditions are excellent and it's fun to play.
The top 50 on the tour rankings after Sunday's final round are ready for the tour finale in Dubai next week. Ludvig Åberg is guaranteed a place there thanks to being part of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team.
