McIlroy is happy with display in comeback round

PATIENCE PAID dividends for Rory McIlroy as he enjoyed a highly promising competitive comeback in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where defending champion Tommy Fleetwood shared the lead after day one.

McIlroy has a remarkable record in Abu Dhabi, with four second-place finishes, two thirds and a fifth in his last eight starts, but missed last year’s event with the rib injury which disrupted his entire season.

The four-time major winner called an early end to his winless campaign, just the second of his professional career, in October, but reaped the rewards of some hard work over the winter with an opening three-under-par 69.

Playing partner and European number one Fleetwood carded a flawless 66 to share the lead with Japan’s Hideto Tanihara, with the final member of the marquee group, world number one Dustin Johnson, struggling to a 72.

“I was excited to get going,” McIlroy said. “The last couple of months have been really nice in terms of being able to concentrate on things I needed to work on in my game and health-wise.

“I feel like I’m nearly the most prepared for a season that I’ve ever been, but it was nice to get back out there and it was a great pairing to start off with.

“Tommy played very well and I was just trying to hang onto his coat-tails for most of the round, so really pleased; bogey-free 69 I can’t really complain.

“I started off with 11 pars and it could have been a lot better than that so I tried to stay as patient as possible. When it’s the first day back it’s easier to stay patient so I was just trying my best and trying to hit a good shot every time I could, trying to hit good putts even if they weren’t going in.

“I was proud of myself the way I hung in there. “

Fleetwood, whose victory 12 months ago set him on the way to winning the Race to Dubai, carded six birdies and hit all 18 greens in regulation, while Johnson mixed four birdies with four bogeys in an inconsistent display.

Fleetwood was joined at the top of the leaderboard late in the day by Tanihara, with Ross Fisher, Thomas Pieters, Sam Brazel, Fabrizio Zanotti and Bernd Wiesberger all on five under.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Stephen Gallacher were part of a large group on four under which also included Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Andrew Johnston.