Intro:

Three-time former champion Martin Kaymer holds a one-stroke lead after Thursday's opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Script:

World number one Rory McIlroy is three shots off the first-round lead at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after opening his year with a five-under-par round of 67.

The Northern Irishman started with a birdie, and after a bogey on the 17th - his eighth hole - he knocked in five birdies in six holes to share fourth.

The turning point in his round came at the third when he managed to hit his second shot from the lip of the bunker on to the green and hole out for the first of three successive birdies.

America's Rickie Fowler is also on five-under after a bogey on his final hole.

Fowler, who finished in the top five in each of last year's four majors made 6 birdies and dropped just a single shot at the par-five ninth - his last.

Three-time champion Martin Kaymer of Germany leads on eight-under, with Belgium's Thomas Pieters one shot back.

Kaymer, who won the event in 2008, 2010 and 2011, missed a 20-foot (three-metre) eagle putt on the last, but knocked in 10 birdies in his round of 64.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez had the shot of the day though.

His tee shot at the 177-yard par-three 15th finding the cup after one bounce, although bogeys at the next two holes saw him finish round one at level par.