- Superstar Dupont raring to go for France return
- First flight with Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam lands in Tel Aviv
- Resilient but threatened, Kenya celebrates Maa culture
- Van Nistelrooy accepts Man Utd lack a clinical striker
- Maresca says Chelsea can beat 'any team'
- Kolisi on the bench as Springboks ring changes for Scotland clash
- Israeli football supporters back home after Amsterdam violence
- Stock markets waver after US election rally, rate cut
- Guardiola will 'solve' Man City's malaise
- Russia seeks six years for medic for criticising Ukraine campaign
- Leveraging Trump win, embattled Macron eyes diplomatic comeback
- England cricket great Botham hails Hughes for Aussie croc rescue
- Mbappe 'down but not out' says Real Madrid coach Ancelotti
- Arsenal ready to rebound after troubled spell: Arteta
- Cartier owner's profit sinks as China sales slump
- UN aims to set standards for scandal-hit carbon markets
- Australia rugby captain Wilson aiming to hit England for six
- Amsterdam mayor 'ashamed' by 'unbearable' attacks on Israel football fans
- UN probe says women, children comprise the majority of Gaza war dead
- England's Lawrence eager to face rising Wallabies star Suaalii
- Judge Spurs at end of the season, says Postecoglou
- Paris Olympic horses to be awarded military medals
- Flood-hit Spain drenched by wettest October on record
- Spain call up uncapped trio for Nations League
- INEOS Britannia named as challenger for 38th America's Cup
- Scarlets wing Murray set for Wales debut against Fiji
- Stocks falter tracking US, China policy updates
- Prince William reflects on 'brutal' year as Kate returns to public life
- After Trump win, EU leaders tackle 'urgent' reform agenda
- France expects massive slump in 2024 wine harvest
- Leaders condemn 'anti-Semitic' football clashes in Amsterdam
- China passes energy law to 'promote carbon neutrality'
- Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool
- Kagiyama leads Miura at NHK Trophy
- China unveils sweeping local govt debt swap to lift ailing economy
- Partial UN probe of Gaza war dead over 6 months shows 'nearly 70%' women, children
- 'Anti-government' samosa theft prompts India police probe
- Qantas plane returns to Australia airport due to 'engine failure'
- Ayub hits 82 as Pakistan crush Australia in 2nd ODI
- Russian drones, missiles pummel cities across Ukraine
- First artwork by humanoid robot sells for over $1.0 million
- China to raise local govt debt ceiling to boost struggling economy
- Climate change poses multiple risks for banks
- Boxing club helps fight Greenland's suicide scourge
- Retired Olympian Daley dives into the spool with Tokyo knitwear show
- Japanese organ builder 'honoured' to restore voice of Notre Dame
- Sony quarterly net profit jumps but forecast unchanged
- Asian markets struggle to maintain momentum after Fed cut
- Fur flies as Russia takes on young fans of 'quadrobics'
- Pharrell Williams to bring star power to Web Summit tech event
McIlroy looking for 'control' as golf year tees off in Abu Dhabi
The start of a new golf year sees Rory McIlroy picking up his annual habit of making lists as he heads to Abu Dhabi but, unlike previous seasons, the Northern Irishman is not specifying potential tournament victories.
Instead McIlroy says he wants to be "more of a measured and a controlled golfer" as he begins the quest for a first major since 2014.
The former world number one, now ranked eighth, headlines a quality field at the Abu Dhabi Championship, which has moved to a new venue in Yas Links Abu Dhabi for the first time in 16 years.
McIlroy is not the highest ranked player in the field -- that honour belongs to the reigning European number one and world number two Collin Morikawa of the US.
Norway's world number seven Viktor Hovland is also in the field while Englishman Tyrrell Hatton returns to defend the title he won last year when it was played at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
McIlroy, though, with four majors to his name, is still the top draw.
The 32-year-old had a remarkable record at the old venue -- apart from one missed cut in 2013, his only finish outside the top five is a tied-11th place in his maiden appearance in 2008.
So a new venue will present a new challenge. The rhythm and the routine, however, remain the same.
Since turning professional, McIlroy has made a habit of starting his season in Abu Dhabi and some years ago he famously revealed how he liked jotting down his goals for the year on his boarding pass while travelling from Ireland to Dubai.
Travelling these days by private jet from his residence in Florida he no longer has a boarding pass -- but he still makes his list.
- 'Objective and measurable' -
Over the years, though, the nature of the goals has shifted from items that other players can affect to those that only he can control.
"I used to sit down on the flight here and write down, like, 'I want to win five times', 'I want to win a major', 'I want to win the Race to Dubai', 'I want to win the FedEx Cup'," said McIlroy.
"Of course I want to do all those things.
"I'd love to win six times in a season. I've never done that before," said McIlroy.
"All those things are great goals and they are things to try to work towards.
"But now I want to hit over 60 percent of my fairways. I want my proximity inside 150 yards to be a certain number. I want my strokes gained putting to be a certain number.
"I think having goals that are more objective and that I'm in control of, are more important.
"I can't control if I win five or six times a year. There are so many other variables in there. But I can certainly control if I hit 60 percent of the fairways.
"I can control that my stats are better than they were the year before.
"So, it's now about trying to set yourself goals that you can control, goals that are objective and measurable."
Towards the end of 2020, a year when he failed to win a single title, McIlroy tried to add more speed in his swing in a bid to emulate Bryson DeChambeau and gain further distance off the tee.
It did not agree with McIlroy, who returned to his usual swing speed in March 2021 and won two titles on the PGA Tour after that.
Choice of club is also a factor. McIlroy draws inspiration from 15-time major champion Tiger Woods who sometimes chooses not to use his driver at every instance.
"I'll certainly pick-and-choose my spots where I can take advantage of the driver and hit it," said McIlroy.
"But the best player of the last 30 years, Tiger, he picked and chose where he hit driver, and he played a very, very controlled game. It didn’t work out too badly for him."
B.Shevchenko--BTB