Rory McIlroy has returned from a month away from competitive action and shot a 5-under 67 with a new swing in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Rory McIlroy realized after the Dunhill Links Championship that he needed to make some changes to his swing. He’s since been putting a lot of focus on improving it. However, he admits that making these adjustments isn’t easy, especially since his body has become so accustomed to the swing mechanics he’s been using for years.

McIlroy said that he had not had this type of practice session for nearly 18 months, adding that hitting balls on a range instead of inside would not help his mechanics and setup. “Not seeing the ball flight for a while,