Pair

Rory McIlroy made a solid start to his 2023 season with a 67 in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, but trails playing partner Cameron Young and Shubhankar Sharma, who both shot 64s.

After a disappointing finish to 2022, McIlroy is looking to bounce back this year, and he showed some encouraging signs on day one in Abu Dhabi. The four-time major champion hit the ball well and made a number of putts, but he also made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes.

Overall, it was a positive day for McIlroy, who is looking to contend for his first victory since the CJ Cup in October 2021.