ABU DHABI: Rory McIlroy鈥檚 patience was tested Thursday on his comeback and he needed three late birdies to register a 3-under 69 that left him three strokes behind first-round leaders Tommy Fleetwood and Hideto Tanihara at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Starting on the 10th hole, McIlroy made 11 straight pars, which included a three-putt par on the par-5 18th.
Fleetwood, the defending Abu Dhabi champion and last year鈥檚 European Tour money-list winner, continued his excellent form by hitting all 18 greens in regulation.
There was a five-way tie for third place with Fabrizio Zanotti, Ross Fisher, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger and Sam Brazel shooting 67s.
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson drove his ball into a lake at the ninth, his closing hole, to finish with a 72. Matt Kuchar was also on level-par while Justin Rose went one better with a 71.
McIlroy, who hit 17 greens in regulation, collected his first birdie of the day by making an uphill 15-foot putt at the third and made further birdies at the seventh and eighth.
鈥淔irst competitive round in over 100 days so it鈥檚 a little bit different,鈥� said McIlroy, who last played at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland on Oct. 8. 鈥淏ut I did well. I stayed patient.
鈥淚 gave myself loads of chances. Really pleased. I played very solid. I think I only missed one or two greens, drove the ball well and the iron play was pretty good. So just need to keep doing that over the next three days and I should have a chance.鈥�
Fleetwood said he had control of his ball throughout.
鈥淚t was very good . very stress-free,鈥� he said. 鈥淧layed really well from start to finish.
鈥淔elt like I did what you need to do well around this golf course, which is drive it well, hit your irons, but you can鈥檛 really be too greedy all the time. My pace putting was really good. (Hitting) 18 greens doesn鈥檛 happen very often so nice to do it around here.鈥�
Rory Mcllroy鈥檚 patience tested as he returns with 3-under 69 in Abu Dhabi
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