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After fog delayed the opening of play by nearly
three hours, McIlroy was among the early starters and began on
the back nine.
Irishman McIlroy carded eight birdies to finish one shot ahead
of England's Tyrrell Hatton, who recorded eagles on the par-five
10th and 18th.
"A lot of it was very good. I felt like I drove the ball well
for the most part. Distance control was really good," McIlroy
said.
"I think I started off really well and hit a lot of nice iron
shots. But honestly it was probably the best I've putted these
greens in Abu Dhabi probably in my whole career."
McIlroy has finished in the top five eight times at the Abu
Dhabi Golf Club but is still in the hunt for his first title.
"I've shot some really good scores here but I held some really
good ones today," the 31-year-old added. "And I've always
struggled to read them here, but I sort of got my eye in early
and kept it going."
Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti was third, two shots behind McIlroy,
with nearly half the field yet to finish the first round which
will resume early on Friday.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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