After over three months away from competitive action Rory McIlroy revealed that he’s feeling refreshed, fit, and ready to go again ahead of this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The former World No.1 has been out of action recovering from a rib injury since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last October but after easing his way back onto the golf course during a month-long trip to Dubai last October / November before stepping up his playing time in the US and Belfast, he’s now ready to go test himself against a star-studded field that includes World No.1 Dustin Johnson in the UAE’s capital.

“I’m excited to be back at a golf tournament,” said McIlroy who has enjoyed some stellar results in Abu Dhabi with four runner-up spots and two third place finishes, including in his last appearance at the event in 2016. “It’s been a while. The last few months have been really nice just to concentrate on a few things I needed to take care of in terms of getting myself fit and healthy to come back and sharpen up a few things in my game.”

“This is the first real test of getting back and seeing how I am so I’m looking forward to just getting out there and seeing how I perform when I need to. It’s a place I’ve done well before and a golf course I know well, so it’s a comfortable place to come back and make a fresh start of the year.”

McIlroy has plenty of reasons for wanting to hit the ground running this year as he bids to add to his haul of four Majors as well as play his way onto Thomas Bjorn’s European Ryder Cup team for the biennial showdown against the USA at Le Golf National in Paris.

“Ryder Cup year is obviously something that you always look forward to, especially after what happened at Hazeltine a couple of years ago,” he said. “I’m excited to hopefully be on that team and try to get a Ryder Cup win for Europe or be a part of that.

“The Majors are obviously very exciting as well. I think that the venues for the Majors this year are very strong. Obviously with Shinnecock for the U.S. Open, Carnoustie for The Open and Bellereive for the PGA – really strong golf courses for the four Majors.

“I’m just excited to get out there and play a pretty full and busy schedule.”