ABU DHABI, (Reuters) – Rory McIlroy shrugged off a misfiring driver to outscore playing partners Tiger Woods and Luke Donald in the Abu Dhabi Championship first round yesterday.
World number three McIlroy may have had his problems on the tee but on the green he was in a hungry mood, devouring most of the birdie chances that came his way to join Swede Robert Karlsson in the lead on five-under-par 67.
The 22-year-old Briton began his round at the 10th and quickly left world number one onald (71) and 14-times major winner Woods (70) trailing in his wake by grabbing a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th. McIlroy’s charge slowed when he bogeyed the 14th and 17th but four birdies in the closing 10 holes put the smile back on his fresh-faced features. “I didn’t feel like I drove the ball particularly well,” the U.S. Open champion told Sky Sports. “I didn’t hit it in the fairway enough.
“The club is coming down to the ball differently to the way it normally does for me so I’m just finding it difficult to trust myself to release the driver. “That’s something I’m going to have to work on at the practice range. I’m going to need to hit the ball in the fairway a lot more tomorrow and over the next three days.”
