Bit of magic keeps Rory McIlroy in touch in Abu Dhabi

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is already a candidate for European Tour ‘Shot of the Year’ after pulling off a stroke of brilliance on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The late, great Seve Ballesteros would have been proud, with McIlroy doing the splits in executing a one legged fairway bunker shot and managing to walk off with a birdie in a round of a five under par 67.

It left McIlroy, on day one of his eighth full pro season, sharing eighth place with playing partner and good friend Rickie Fowler and three strokes behind three time former event champion Martin Kaymer.

Kaymer, fresh from the ski slopes of Italy, produced an avalanche of 10 birdies in an eight under par 64 and is now a staggering 95-under par for 29 rounds of the National course in the UAE capital.

McIlroy was awake at 5am local time before making his way to the 10th tee for his 7.40am starting time. And if there was any new season jitters, McIlroy buried those with a booming 315-yard drive down the 10th fairway for an eventual first birdie of 2015. And, despite playing the next 10 holes in one over par after a bogey at his eighth hole, the four-time Major winner showed his class with three birdies in a row from his 12th and birdies also at 16 and 17.

“It was good, to shoot 67 first round of the year is nice,” he said.

“How I got to that 67 wasn’t quite glamorous, but there is a couple of things I need to work on if I want to have a chance to win. I need to drive the ball better, for sure, but I did manage to get it to come together on my back nine, and happy with a 67.”

In fact, McIlroy managed to hit six of 14 fairways but then he produced a magical short game, as evident at the third hole (his 12th), while needing just 27 putts when on the greens. However, it was McIlroy’s wedge shot at the par four third. or the 12th of his round, that easily drew the loudest applause from a large following.

His ball came to rest in grass but right on the upper lip of the bunker, and some 94 yards from the flag from where McIlroy got the ball magically to a dozen feet and rolled in the birdie. It prompted fellow Irishman Dave McNeilly, who is caddying for Matteo Manassero, to remark: “Hey, Rory? That’s one shot you won’t practice that much on the range.”

McIlroy, breaking out in a smile, replied: “Not more than a bucket of balls”

This is the second occasion McIlroy has commenced a new season in the UAE capital with a 67, with the other being in 2012, and now light years away from when he left new sponsors Nike crimson-faced in posting a starting 75 two years ago.

“Despite shooting a 67 there was still a few butterflies in the stomach standing on my first tee this morning because you never really know what to expect,” he said.

“I stepped up to the tee thinking ‘C’mon, now let’s hit a good tee shot’ and I managed to do that and then hit a good second shot. But, while the drive and second shot did settle me down, you always are always a little worried about a first hole of a new season.

“But after that, I just went about my business. However, seeing Rickie playing so well to be three under after 10 really was what got me going over my back nine, so that got me really comfortable.”

Michael Hoey produced a three under par 69 with Damien McGrane on 71 while Darren Clarke birdied his last hole in a level par 72.