Strong start for McIlroy in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy produced most of the early fireworks in his eagerly-awaited clash with Tiger Woods and Luke Donald in Abu Dhabi today.

The 22-year-old US Open champion had a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th - they had teed off on the back nine - thanks to putts of nine, 12 and three feet.

McIlroy did then bogey the next after finding a plugged lie in a bunker and dropped another stroke on the 17th, but when he completed the inward half with another birdie he was part of a eight-way tie for the lead on two-under-par.

Not that his four on the 567-yard 18th was without adventure. Hitting a fairway wood for his second, it clattered into the hospitality tent on the left, but from the drop zone he chipped to four feet and made another putt.

Woods, making his first appearance in the event and playing for the first time since he ended more than two years without a win last month, matched McIlroy's birdie at the 11th, but that was his only gain before the turn.

Particularly annoying for the former world number one was three-putting the 18th for par after being the only one of the star trio to find the green in two.

Current number one Donald, meanwhile, followed eight opening pars with a birdie, chipping to three feet.

McIlroy shared top spot with fellow Irishmen Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin, Swede Robert Karlsson, Korean KJ Choi, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, England's Richard Finch and Dutchman Joost Luiten.

McIlroy was not at his sparkling best, but his short game was coming good and a pitch from the rough to three feet at the long second moved him to three-under.

Not that he was leading any more, though. Maybin had reached four-under with four birdies in five holes from the second.

Donald and Woods were still very much in touch. Donald birdied the first to be two under and the American joined him by almost holing in one on the third.

On the same mark with seven to play was 48-year-old Colin Montgomerie, despite bogey sixes at the 10th and 18th. There were two birdies in between and then two more on the first and second.