Rory McIlroy off to a fast start with lowest opening round to a year in Abu Dhabi
The members here jokingly whisper of “The Curse of the Falcon” when it comes to Rory McIlroy’s record in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship that features four runner-ups, three thirds and a fifth in his past nine starts - yet, mysteriously, no victory.
But in the shadow of the iconic clubhouse, designed in the shape of the bird of prey with its wings outstretched, McIlroy on Thursday highlighted his intent on laying this supposed hex to rest with a mesmeric 64.
Eight birdies with 10 pars added up to the lowest opening round of a year in McIlroy’s career and gave him the perfect platform from which to go hunting his first win in 15 months.
McIlroy studies his numbers and when he came to the last few holes was aware he needed to pick up another shot to better the 65 he shot in South Africa four years ago. It arrived courtesy of a 25-footer on the par-five eighth (his 17th) on a day when his putter seemed more compliant than ever.
“I knew that 65 is the lowest I've ever shot on my opening round to a year and also that it’s my lowest on this course and after turning at four-under I thought to myself, ‘let's try to shoot four-under on in next nine and shoot the best score you've ever shot here’,” he said. “So that was nice to do and a lovely way to begin 2021.”
It handed McIlroy, 31, the clubhouse lead, one clear of England’s Tyrrell Hatton, although half of this 132-man field must return on Friday morning to finish off their first rounds due to a near three-hour delay caused by early morning fog. When the mist lifted, McIlroy strode on to the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and had near complete clarity with his game.
It is astonishing that McIlroy has yet to prevail here. This was his 10th round of 66 or lower and provided further evidence that he loves the place. He birdied his first hole (the 10th) and from there powered forwards. McIlroy’s monstrous 352-yard drive on the 14th left him a gap wedge in to the 490-yarder, while his effort on the second (his 11th) was only a yard shorter.
Looking on, defending champion Lee Westwood could only shake his head. “I’ve hit one drive 320 yards and I get up there to find I’m 30 yards behind,” Westwood said, following his own 69.
Even this far out, McIlroy is the overwhelming favourite in this $8 million event and what a tonic a win would be after, by his standards, a poor 2020. It was the first time he failed to record a single top-two finish, yet far from being glad it was over when he signed off in November, McIlroy wanted to keep going.
“It was getting better as the year went on, and honestly it was sort of disappointing that it finished when it did because I felt like I was getting right back into it. I didn't really take much time off after Augusta [where he came fifth in The Masters],” McIlroy said.
“I sat at home for maybe three or four days and was like I just need to get out there and sort of keep this going. I played and practiced quite a bit over the Christmas break and felt maybe as sharp as I've ever done coming into the start of the season. It's paid off early.”
Hatton was even quicker out of the traps, eagling his very first hole of the year. The world No 9 hit a three-wood to nine feet on the par-five 10th, beginning where he left off a spectacular 2020 for the Buckinghamshire golfer, with victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
“I think I actually got away with it as for 10 holes, I hit only one fairway,” Hatton, 29, said. “And the wind certainly picked up as the round went on. It’s going to be a lot tougher for them.”
By nightfall, the leaderboard backed him up. Of the top 19, only three were afternoon starters, with Justin Rose, the former world No 1, on three-under through 11 holes.
