The Northern Irishman has switched from blade to cavity-back irons, the type used by the vast majority of amateur golfers as they are more forgiving, and was happy with the transition as he set the early clubhouse target at Dubai Creek Resort.

“If there is help to be had I’ll definitely take it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” he told Sky Sports.

“Even in Dubai (DP World Tour Championship) at the end of last year I hit a couple of five-irons I mis-struck slightly and instead of it coming up five or seven yards short it was coming up maybe 10 to 15 yards short so I asked the guys at TaylorMade to build me up a set.

“I’ve got a new golf ball in play this week but overall I’ve liked what I’ve seen at home and today was a good test for it and I felt everything was pretty good.”

McIlroy appeared to get to grips with the new set-up immediately as he reached the turn in 31.

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Starting from the 10th he was inches away from an eagle but that set the tone for the first of seven birdies in 10 holes as, with his wedges dialled in, he hit his approaches all inside 11 feet on five par fours.

His only blemishes came with a missed short putt at the 12th and the third, where he failed to escape from the sand having driven into a greenside bunker, but further frustration was to follow as he could only par his way home.

“It was good, I got off to a great start, played a very good first nine and then the wind got up a little bit and it felt that front nine, our second nine, was the trickier one,” added McIlroy.

“I made a silly bogey on three and then didn’t capitalise on the par five after that so I felt I left a few out there on that side but I played a really good nine holes of golf going out.

“Overall a nice way to start the year.”

Play was paused midway through the day to remember young golfer Emanuele Galeppini, due to be junior captain at Dubai Creek this year, and the 39 other people who died in a fire in Crans Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Day.

Scotland’s Connoy Syme and Spain’s David Puig are one shot behind with England’s Matt Wallace, who had an eagle and six birdies in a nine-hole run, in the group on three under after dropping shots late in his round.