RORY MCILROY BIRDIED was given a two-shot penalty at the end of his opening round, leaving him on two under on the first day of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

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McIlroy originally shot a round of 68 after notching three birdies in the last five holes, but that was increased to 70, and his double-bogey on the 12th was changed to a quadruple-bogey.

McIlroy appeared to improve his lie after a shot rolled back downhill towards him during a difficult 12th hole. Although he stated that he had not intended to gain an advantage, he accepted the penalty after the round:

“As I went to sort of get a feel for the lie, the close-up of the camera, you can see, like, a little piece of grass around the divot sort of lies down as I put my club behind the ball, and I guess the grass doesn’t return back to its original position,” said McIlroy.

“Obviously there’s no intent, I play by the rules… but just by looking at the video, it doesn’t look very good.

“I don’t feel like I pressed down on the grass, but, at the same time, I don’t want the perception of people thinking that I got away with something either. So I’m happy to take the two-shot penalty and move on.”

McIlroy trails the tournament lead by eight shots, after Italy’s Francesco Laporta shot an opening round 62 (-10), while Jon Rahm, Sam Bairstow and Bernd Wiesberger are three off the lead on -7.

McIlroy’s late rally today could prove important as he continues to chase a record-equalling eighth Road to Dubai title.

However, the penalty has now seen him draw level with leader Eugenio Chacarra’s opening round of 70, while second-placed Patrick Reed struggled to a round of 74.

Written by Ciaran Kirk and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.