Rory McIlroy slapped with 2-stroke penalty at Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy incurred a two-shot penalty in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi Championship as his bid for a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title suffered an immediate setback.

The six-time major champion was penalised for improving his lie by pressing down grass behind his ball with his club before a chip shot at the par-four 12th hole at Yas Links.

The DP World Tour confirmed in a statement that McIlroy had breached rule 8.1b(4).

That rule permits a player "to ground their club lightly right in front of or behind the ball."

The statement added: "'Ground the club lightly' means allowing the weight of the club to be supported by the grass on or above the ground surface and there is no penalty even if the lie is improved. However, a player is not allowed to press the club on the ground."

Applied after his round, the penalty turned a six at the 12th into a quadruple-bogey eight — his only dropped shots of the day.

His score changed from a four-under 68 to a two-under 70.

What had looked a promising start for the Northern Irishman instead left him with ground to make up after Francesco Laporta set the pace with a sparkling 62.

McIlroy, 37, accepted the ruling.

While saying "obviously there's no intent" on his part, he was "happy" to take the penalty.

"I play by the rules," said the world number two.

He added: "I try to do everything that I can to never end up in these positions. But just by looking at the video, like it doesn't look very good. Obviously that wasn't my intent. I'm just trying to get a feel for the lie."

The incident followed his first chip at the hole, his third shot, which rolled back down a hill into a divot.

A tuft of grass appeared to move when he pressed his club down behind the ball before his next attempt.

"The ball is in a sort of bottom of a sandy divot," he added.

"I'm trying to feel like if I can get a 54-degree [wedge] on to the back of the ball, but in the process, this piece of grass has sort of laid down, and I guess the technical term for the rule is if you press down on the piece."

"I don't feel like I pressed down. But at the same time, I don't want the perception of people thinking like I got away with something either, so I'm happy to take a two-shot penalty and move on and move into tomorrow."

The revised score put McIlroy alongside Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra on two under.

Chacarra, who leads the Race to Dubai standings, also shot 70 in the opening round.

McIlroy could not gain ground on his rival for the season-long title.

The penalty means McIlroy now sits eight strokes behind Laporta heading into the second round.

Rule 8.1b(4) is one of the more nuanced rules in golf.

It draws a fine line between a player "grounding" the club — which is allowed — and "pressing" it into the ground — which is not.

The distinction often comes down to whether the grass returns to its original position after the club is lifted.

In McIlroy's case, the close-up television footage showed a piece of grass that did not spring back.

McIlroy acknowledged that the visual evidence worked against him.

"But just by looking at the video, like it doesn't look — it doesn't look very good," he said.

"Obviously that wasn't my intent. I'm just trying to get a feel for the lie."

The incident has drawn attention because of McIlroy's history as one of the most vocal critics of rules issues in professional golf.

He has frequently called for stricter enforcement of the rules and has criticised players he believed were bending them.

Now, he finds himself on the other side of a ruling.

McIlroy's response — accepting the penalty without appeal and explaining his actions in detail — is consistent with his stated approach to the game.

"I play by the rules," he said flatly.

The DP World Tour did not issue any additional discipline beyond the two-stroke penalty.

McIlroy will begin the second round at Yas Links on Friday needing to make up significant ground.

The Race to Dubai title is one of the most prestigious season-long awards in European golf.

McIlroy has won it seven times, tying the record set by the late Seve Ballesteros and Colin Montgomerie.

An eighth win would put him alone at the top of the all-time list.

That makes every shot — and every penalty — matter more than usual.

The Abu Dhabi Championship is one of the final events of the DP World Tour season.

Players earn points toward the Race to Dubai standings based on their finishes.

McIlroy entered the week as one of the favourites to win the season title.

The two-shot penalty does not eliminate him from contention, but it makes his path harder.

He now needs a strong finish over the remaining rounds to stay within striking distance of Laporta and Chacarra.