As Rory McIlroy was happy enough to admit, the company he kept for his first competitive round in 106 days was as significant as the accomplished nature of what he produced in the Abu Dhabi Championship. Finding 17 greens in regulation was key to McIlroy’s 69, which would have been better but for missed putts which can reasonably be mitigated by professional rust.

There was to be no soft return to tournament golf as McIlroy had world No 1 Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood, the recent European order of merit winner, as partners. McIlroy duly outscored Johnson by three and, while Fleetwood – whose star continues to soar – had a 66, the four-times major winner has been given sufficient evidence to believe he can overturn that deficit over the next 54 holes.

“My expectation coming into this week was that I could win,” McIlroy said. “I think after the first day, seeing where my game’s at and playing alongside two of the most in-form players in the world right now, I feel like I’m not that far away.

“I was probably a little nervous on the 1st tee. I had no problems last night or this morning, that was all fine. I was just excited to get going. It’s another season, a season that I feel like I’m as prepared for as any season I’ve started as a professional.

“It was a great pairing to go out with, Dustin and Tommy. Tommy had one of the best years out of anyone last year. DJ is obviously No 1 player in the world. So to see where I’m at compared to where they are, it was nice. It was a good day.”

After the injury troubles which beset McIlroy’s 2017 nobody could reasonably begrudge him a few such days. The 28-year-old’s demeanour after his round was as telling as his display on the course, with a calm McIlroy clearly believing he had endorsed his winter progress which took place away from public glare.

“With how I played I could have shot a better score but after reeling off 11 pars in a row I’m proud of myself to hang in there and make those three birdies in the last seven holes and get in bogey-free,” McIlroy added. “There were no mistakes, I played very solidly, very smart. It was a good round of golf. It could have been better but I’ll take it.”

Rory McIlroy plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images

The pick was a beautifully flighted six iron into the tricky par-three 7th – McIlroy’s 16th – which finished at kick-in range. A bustling gallery had been afforded the one moment they had come for.

Fleetwood did not miss a green in regulation, endorsing his new-found love for a course which once made him grimace. The Southport man shares the 18-hole lead with Hideto Tanihara. Fleetwood, like McIlroy, relished his grouping. “I think I’m going to struggle to find a better three-ball,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how long I play for. That might be the best one I get.

“It was very stress-free. I played really well from start to finish. It felt like I did what you need to do well around this course which is drive it well, hit your irons, but you can’t really be too greedy all the time.”

A Scottish flavour was provided on the leaderboard by Stephen Gallacher and Richie Ramsay, who signed for 68s. Fabrizio Zanotti is a stroke better off, due in no small part to a birdie-eagle finish. He could sell that for plenty of dirhams on Sunday.