Patience pays for Rory McIlroy in comeback

Patience paid dividends for Rory McIlroy, as he enjoyed a highly promising competitive comeback in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where defending champion Tommy Fleetwood shared the lead after day one.

McIlroy has a remarkable record in Abu Dhabi, with four second-place finishes, two thirds, and a fifth in his last eight starts, but missed last year’s event with the rib injury which disrupted his entire season.

The four-time major winner called an early end to his winless campaign, just the second of his professional career, in October, but reaped the rewards of some hard work over the winter with an opening three-under-par 69.