Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is also in the UAE this week, but for him, it’s a much more routine stop-he’s a European Tour member who’s played in Abu Dhabi in each of the past eight years.
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He will be going head-to-head with World Number One Jordan Spieth, who he tees off alongside in the early hours of tomorrow morning- they will also be joined by Rickie Fowler. He’s come close to winning a major before, and he’s hungry to prove that he belongs in the same bracket as Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy.
During the visit the golfers teed off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club – home to the prestigious annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship – Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club along with visiting a number of cultural attractions including Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and undertaking a desert safari in Al Ain.
In this phase of their evolving rivalry McIlroy is cast as the chaser, which, despite the modest nature of his commentary, does not sit comfortably in the psyche of a man who likes to pulverise the opposition, and who has spent 95 weeks in the spot presently occupied by Spieth.
“It’s not about making statements or trying to lay down markers, it’s just about trying to play the best that I can”, McIlroy, 26, told reporters after a sizzling first round that opened with successive birdies.
“It’s great that we’ve got Rory, Jordan and Rickie here this week then two more good fields in Qatar and Dubai”.
“The guys behind us hadn’t even reached the fairway, on a par 5”, said Spieth, who acknowledged that he had taken extra time to line up a putt.
“I like it. I think it’s a good idea to let guys wear shorts in practise rounds”.
“So it’s definitely a motivation”, said the four time major champion.
McIlroy and Henrik Stenson were paired against Spieth and Fowler in a one-hole challenge coined “The Rider Cup”. Several players adopted the shorts last week and continued wearing them on Tuesday at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship ahead of the 15-person committee vote. “You look at every other sport and people are allowed to expose their legs, so I don’t see why we’re not allowed to do that either”.
“I think it’s awesome”, Spieth said of the new policy. “Hopefully I can prevent that to an extent”.
Stenson, 39, had missed the cut in Abu Dhabi in each of the previous two years and was returning to competitive golf after knee surgery, but the amiable Swede showed few ill effects as he sank eight birdies between his fourth and 17th holes before bogeying the last.
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“I made no secret about I want to get back to that position, and I’d like to do it as quick as possible”, he said.
