Jordan Spieth impressed by Rory McIlroy’s start in Abu Dhabi

When he boarded the plane from Dublin to UAE on January 7, the Northern Irishman did exactly that, goals he hopes to put in practice at the Abu Dhabi Championships when it gets under way tomorrow.

Spieth picked up a bad time penalty after taking too long over a birdie putt at the par five eighth, his 17th hole of the day.

Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy McIlroy are 1st and 2nd round playing partners at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and it begins in a few hours.

It was the first round since the European Tour modified its Pace of Play policy, which aims to trim 15 minutes off a round.

The group of Spieth, McIlroy and Rickie Fowler were being monitored from the fourth hole, with Fowler’s time-consuming drop in a waste area on the second hole believed to be largely responsible.

“I’m just growing in confidence and belief every single day”, said DeChambeau, who is regarded as one of the hottest young players in the sport after also becoming NCAA champion in 2015. But it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when our group had caught up and it had no effect on the round. It had no effect on the round. “It’s a bit of a grey area”. Pelley asked the Tour’s referee staff – led by John Paramor – to come up with new ways to tackle the problem, and this week a “monitoring” system has been introduced which is running alongside the usual method of identifying and punishing culprits with shot penalties. “You want to win tournaments and you want to achieve things, but it’s about how to go about that on your off weeks”.

“I think I’ll be remembered for my major championships”, the 26-year-old, who will compete for Ireland at Rio 2016, said.

I would advise anyone to wear comfy walking shoes because despite what’s going on off the course, you will not want to miss anything on it.

McIlroy had insisted he was not concerned about laying down a marker to Spieth after being drawn with the Masters and US Open champion, but the four-time major victor certainly made an impression with an opening 66. “I got a bad “monitoring” time on my putt on the eighth [17th] after they had taken us off the clock and the guys behind us hadn’t even reached the fairway”, Spieth said. “Sometimes I feel the refs have to use a bit of common sense”, he said.

“In a season that he considered lost, he still came back and ended up winning the Race To Dubai and that proves what a player he is”, Spieth said.

Unheralded American amateur Bryson Dechambeau shot an 8-under 64 to take the first-round lead. I was able to keep it in the fairways and then my iron play was stellar today.

McIlroy was confident that the extended break, and the laser surgery of his eyes, is going to help him on the golf course in what is shaping up to be an exceptionally busy year with the Olympics and Ryder Cup on the card.

“I didn’t drive the ball well, which is really the key out here, so to shoot four-under with the way I felt with my driver is spectacular”, he said.

It may be an early start, but judging by the excitement and build-up I expect there to be quite a following when the trio make their way around the first 18 holes.

McIlroy sunk four birdies in the first six holes and will probably be disappointed not to put more daylight between him and the player who has usurped him as the world’s best.