Golf: Welsh golfer puts McIlroy, Tiger in the shade

ABU DHABI (AP) - Unheralded Jamie Donaldson outshone Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship by shooting an opening-round five-under 67 for an early one-shot lead on Thursday.

McIlroy, playing with new clubs following his multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal with Nike, finished with a three-over 75 and risks missing the cut. He repeatedly missed fairways including a shot on his 12th that hit a tree and ended up in a car park that led to one of his two double bogeys. His other double bogey came when he fluffed a chip in thick rough on his par-three sixth. He also putted poorly, missing a par putt on his 17th and a birdie putt on the 18th.

Woods, meanwhile, finished a rollercoaster round at even par after "grinding it out". The 14-time Major winner had four birdies to go along with four bogeys and ended his round by three-putting his 18th for a bogey when he hit the second putt too hard.

The American can thank his short game and putter for salvaging the round, saving par on several occasions and sinking several long birdie putts. He carded three birdies on the last four holes of his front nine. But he lost that momentum on the back nine, when he mishit a tee shot that led to a bogey on No. 10, and could not hole a short par putt on his 11th.