McIlroy Upstages Spieth in Abu Dhabi Golf Championship

Though the “penalty” for two such breaches would cost the game’s highest earner (and, of course, anyone else in violation) pocket change of some $2,800, Spieth was confused by the action.

Spieth, who started his year by shooting 30 under par to win the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii by eight shots, admitted his driving was “short and crooked” for most of the day, but was more concerned with being warned for slow play on the penultimate hole.

ABU DHABI – Former world number one Rory McIlroy said he was excited to start his new season in the company of the reigning world number one Jordan Spieth.

American amateur Bryson Dechambeau leads after a brilliant 64 with world No. 5, Swede Henrik Stenson, a stroke back.

A year earlier, McIlroy launched his bid for the US Masters, the only Major he has yet to win, but instead of sealing a career Grand Slam he saw Spieth, 22, take both the Augusta title and later the top ranking. “Might have been surprising to some other people after a two-month layoff. No”, said Pelley, who has made slow play a key issue since joining the tour past year.

He reserved the praise for his playing partner Rory McIlroy, who shot 66 and delivered what Spieth rightly considered a ball-striking clinic.

The event’s marquee group, which included the world No. 1, Rory McIlroy, and Rickie Fowler, received a warning as they approached the fourth tee that Euro Tour chief rules official John Paramor was monitoring their time. I don’t think it takes anything away from the tradition of the game or etiquette or how guys look on the course.

The American was at the receiving end of the new pace of play procedure adopted by the European Tour, and received a bad monitoring time on the eighth hole.

Jordan Spieth says if he hadn’t won a major he’d place that above Olympic glory but at this point “a gold medal would be very, very special”. I didn’t hit a lot of shots really close, I just hit it kind of OK.

DeChambeau is one of golf’s characters – calling himself the “Golf Scientist”, he has modified his irons to make them all the same length, has two driver swings, puts his balls in Epsom salts to establish which of them are slightly flawed, and wears a Ben Hogan-style flat cap.

“I had no expectations coming into today and just free-wheeled it and pretty much hit every fairway and was able to make a couple of putts”, DeChambeau said.

“Not too bad on one leg, ” quipped Stenson, a runner-up in 2006.

TWO late birdies helped Simon Dyson return to top form at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

“There were two speeds, 6mph and 14mph and we all said we would stick to 6mph, “McIlroy told reporters at stuff.co.nz”. Messi, recently crowned Ballon d’Or victor for a record fifth time, and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.69 million) in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009.