BROOKING GOOD

WORLD No.1 Brooks Koepka fired a warning to his rivals by returning from injury with a superb opening 66 in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Koepka, who had not played since October, showed no signs of rust as he carded six birdies in a bogey-free round to lie two shots off the lead held by Italy’s Renato Paratore and South African Shaun Norris.

The four-time major winner had stem cell treatment on his left knee at the end of August but aggravated the problem after slipping on wet concrete during the CJ Cup in South Korea and was forced to withdraw from the US team for December’s Presidents Cup.

“It’s good to be back,” he said. “I missed the competition. “I played really solid.

“I missed a few putts early if I really want to pick it apart.

Drove the ball well. Controlled ball flight and controlled distances really well and that’s what you have to do out here.

“Usually in the afternoon the wind picks up and you know that going in so when you have a morning tee time, you have to take advantage of it. I did that.”

Asked about his knee, Koepka added: “It feels fine. It was a little sore last night. That’s expected. This is the first week I’ve walked 18 holes and I’ve done it three times already. It’s a little tired.”

In the week when the European Tour’s bid to stamp out slow play came into force it felt fitting that Paratore, who is one of the quickest players in the game, set the early pace with a superb 64 which was matched later in the day by Norris.

Paratore and Norris both carded nine birdies and a solitary bogey to enjoy a two-shot lead over Koepka and Australia’s Jason Scrivener

Defending champion Shane Lowry carded an opening 70.