McIlroy makes perfect start in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy. Picture: Getty Images

Rory McIlroy fired a warning shot across the bows of his global rivals when he opened his 2021 account by cruising to an effortless-looking eight-under 64 to claim the early lead in the fog-delayed Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The world number six was reunited with coach Michael Bannon before Christmas, and with his swing whirring like a well-oiled machine, he combined some excellent ball-striking with inspired putting to lead by a stroke from Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who had two eagle threes and three birdies in a 65 as Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti shot 66.    

“Honestly it’s probably the best I’ve putted these greens in Abu Dhabi in my whole career,” McIlroy said of his putting on a day when a frustrated Shane Lowry was four-over-par through 11 holes when play was suspended due to fading light.

“I’ve shot some really good scores here, but I holed some really good ones today. I’ve always struggled to read them here, but I got my eye in early and kept it going.”

The Holywood star (31) had just 25 putts, rattling in birdies at the 10th, 12th, 15th and 18th to turn in 32 before mirroring that effort with four more at the first, second, sixth and eighth.

He made 12 footers at the 10th and 12th, a 25 footer at the 15th and then followed a missed opportunity inside 10 feet at the 16th by converting another 15 footer at the 18th.

Two birdies to start his homeward nine were just what he required, but while the wind got up, he knocked in a 25 footer for his seventh birdie of the day at the sixth, then watched another 25 footer lip-in at the par-five eighth before leaving his 20 footer for a 63 in the jaws.

His metronomic play may well have affected defending champion Lee Westwood (47), whose three-under 69 looked pedestrian by comparison while world No 3 Justin Thomas (27) was a mere onlooker as he struggled to a one-over 73.

After racking up 11 top-five finishes but no wins in the first event of the year since 2008, including four runner-up finishes in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy was naturally thrilled with the state of his game and pleased to clip a stroke off his previous best round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“It feels good,” McIlroy said after his 10th round of 66 or better in 39 rounds. “I actually thought that to myself when I turned in four under. I knew that 65 was the best I’ve shot here, and I’ve shot it a few times [three]. So I was like, let’s try to go at least one better and shoot another four on the back nine and I was able to do that. Maybe played slightly better on our front nine but I holed some really nice putts for birdies. It was a lovely way to start the year.”

With coach Bannon unable to travel to the US regularly last year due to Covid-19, Mcllroy was pleased to see his swing back on track after taking advantage of his trip to the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek last October to consult the vastly experienced Butch Harmon.

“I haven’t been able to see Michael that much because of Covid, and I thought I’d take advantage of being in Vegas to see Butch,” he explained. “But Michael is here this week, he worked with me before Christmas. We have started to see a lot more of each other, and that’s been great as well.

“Michael knows my swing better than anyone knows it, inside out, and it’s great to have him here and it’s great that things are slowly getting back to normal where I will be able to see him more regularly this year and I think that will really help.”

European Ryder Cup captain Pádraig Harrington also started the year positively, making four birdies in two-under 70 alongside potential team members Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, who shot 72, and Frenchman Victor Perez, whose 68 left him tied for sixth.

It was much more of a struggle for the afternoon starters as the wind got up and the course played an estimated five strokes harder.

Graeme McDowell was one-under-par and bogey-free through 10 holes, but Open champion Lowry has his work cut out to make the cut.

He followed birdies at the first and fourth with bogeys at the fifth and seventh before running up a triple-bogey seven at the ninth, where he drove into water right, chipped out sideways after an unfortunate drop, then compounded his mistake by taking three to get down from greenside sand.

After a par-five at the 10th, he bogeyed the 11th as the hooter sounded and now needs to pick up a few shots when he resumes today if he’s to give himself a fighting chance of making the cut.