Despite admitting he was half asleep in teeing up, Michael Hoey clearly benefited from a week’s practice ahead of teeing up in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Hoey, who turns 36 on February 13th, posted an impressive four under par 68 in his opening round to kick start his 13th year in the pro ranks.

It left the five-time Tour winner trailing three strokes behind Germany’s Martin Kaymer.

And like fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, Hoey was in nearby Dubai working of his game before taking the hour’s drive south to Abu Dhabi.

“I was up in Dubai last week practicing and it definitely paid off,” said Hoey.

“But then I couldn’t get that excited about teeing up at the start of a New Year as I was still half asleep.

“So apart from that it was a good round.”

Hoey had not played a competitive round since missing the cut a month ago in the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the second of the Tour’s 2014/15 wraparound schedule.

“Despite the sleepiness it wasn’t that hard getting back into competition because it’s all routine,” he admitted.

“It’s a bit like riding a push bike but then it’s also good when you can prove something to yourself, and when you’re like wiping the slate clean in starting a new season.”

And this week’s 10th anniversary Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the first of five events in succession for Hoey.