McIlroy edges Spieth as DeChambeau leads in Abu Dhabi

Now, the focus is elsewhere – particularly on Jordan Spieth, McIlroy’s big rival who dominated the sport in 2015 by winning two majors, the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour and two other tournaments to clinch FedEx Cup, and won more than $22 million.

Spieth’s first round in a regular European Tour event was a mixed bag and ended with a brush with a rules official, who gave the American a “monitoring penalty” for taking too long over a putt on No. 8 – his 17th hole. Just to rub salt in the wound, he had to wait to play his second shot to the ninth green while the group in front putted out.

“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 could only have been because of it that they found themselves “on the clock” a hole or two later as there was no evidence of the marquee group being slow.

Spieth said: “I don’t go to bed thinking Rory, Jason, Ricky, what are they doing?”

“So look at Tiger (Woods), Phil (Mickelson)… this is still our generation, Tiger, Phil, Rory, these guys that have done more in the game of golf than I have, and I want to strive to get to what they have done”.

“That’s why I really pushed to make my 2016 debut here”.

But today the 26-year-old spelt out his determination to wrestle the world No1 spot back from Jordan Spieth, who grabbed it from him in such spectacular fashion last year.

“Great decision by the @EuropeanTour to allow shorts in practice and pro-am days!”

With these sticks, DeChambeau shot a 64 to eclipse the Rory McIlroy/Jordan Spieth extravaganza, which was saying something as the former opened with a 66 in his first round of 2016 and the latter with a 68.

“To tee up alongside those guys, there’s excitement, there’s a buzz about it”, said McIlroy. “This year I kind of wanted to go out and take advantage of the year and see places that I had never seen before, on and off the course”. “I’m less satisfied with what’s happened and more hungry to try and keep it going”.

Sixth-ranked Rickie Fowler (70) completed Spieth’s group that drew a crowd of more than 200 despite their near-dawn start. He [PARAMOR]just came up and said you have got this and I said ‘OK, I’ll just move on with the hole.’ For it to be the last putt when they are 15 minutes behind us and we’re off the hole, it didn’t make any sense to me.

McIlroy made two bogeys but compensated with eight birdies.

McIlroy was confident that the extended break, and laser surgery on 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. Spieth said the decision “didn’t make any sense to me” and was a “bit odd”. Thankfully I didn’t fall off. It was really good fun.