Superb McIlroy makes sure Woods remains in the shade

The entire build-up may have been about the world’s top three being present – and paired together – at a regular European Tour event for the first time since 1994, but the young Northern Irishman, who could move to No 4 on Sunday, outshone them all in round one.

While Woods rescued a ‘scratchy’ 71 with a brilliant closing eagle and both Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer scored 69s, 21-year-old McIlroy blasted an eight-birdie 65.

He has a two-shot lead over Thomas Aiken and Sergio Garcia, with Sheffield’s Danny Willett a shot further back after a 68, which was easily the 23-year-old’s best round of the year and included an eagle on the par-five 18th.

But for a three-putt bogey at the short seventh, McIlroy would have matched his start on the same Emirates course two years ago – and that led to his first and so far only victory on the circuit.

Westwood and Kaymer are joint 10th, with Woods in a tie for 27th. The top 65 make the cut after the second round and that was 2006 and 2008 champion Woods’s position when he stood on the last fairway one over.

It had included a trip to the lake on the seventh and a double-bogey six at the 467-yard 12th, but from 254 yards on the par five he struck a towering shot over the water to within six feet of the flag.

“It was pretty interesting. As much as I had to shape the tee shot right to left I had to shape that left to right,” said Woods.

“I had to take something off it and threw it up in the air – it was perfect.”

Down to third in the world after almost 15 months without a victory and only 44th in his first start of the season, the American accepts the swing changes he is making will take time.

“It took me a while when I was with Hank (Haney) and it took me a while when I was with Butch (Harmon). I didn’t play worth a darn for two years,” he said.

“I’m doing it now (with Canadian coach Sean Foley) because I know I can become better. It will be more efficient.”

No need to tinker too much with McIlroy’s game at the moment, though.

In his last five events he has finished fifth, sixth, fifth, fourth and then second – albeit a distant second – to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago.

Able to “fly under the radar” because of the attention on the sport’s three leading lights, McIlroy took advantage of his early tee-off time with five successive birdies around the turn.

“I got into the round gradually, but once I did I felt there was a good score out there,” he said.

“All I’m trying to do is focus on hitting good shots – not just for the next three days, but for the next 12 months.”

Hull’s Richard Finch and Malton’s Simon Dyson both shot level-par 72 while Harrogate’s John Parry is battling to make the weekend after a 75.