Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods – multi-millionaire Nike stablemates now and golf’s two biggest attractions – go head to head in Abu Dhabi tomorrow in their first competitive round of the year.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods – multi-millionaire Nike stablemates now and golf’s two biggest attractions – will go head to head in Abu Dhabi on Thursday in what for both of them is their first competitive round of the year.

Just over five years ago, no Irish golfer had won a major since Fred Daly in the 1947 Open, but how times have changed.