WORLD NUMBER ONE Rory McIlroy admitted he is lacking confidence, as his battle with his new clubs continues to affect  his game.

McIlroy shot an even-par 70 in the first round of the Honda Classic yesterday to be tied for 61st heading into today’s play, as he attempts to defend the title he won by two strokes in 2012 from Tom Gillis and Tiger Woods.

The Northern Irishman made the switch from Titleist to Nike clubs for the 2013 season, and while he has happy memories of the PGA National Champion Course in Florida – where he first became world number one in 2012 – McIlroy said his return visit hadn’t given him the same pleasure yet.

“It’s hard to commit to the shot that you need to play every time,” McIlroy said. “If you know that you should play a fade and you’re not comfortable with it, it’s hard to do.”

The 23-year-old said he would endeavour to fix his swing to ensure he reaches the weekend, having failed to impress in his two events so far this season.

He bowed out in the first round of the Match Play Championship last week, while he missed the cut at the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January. And despite hitting just seven fairways, he was not hitting the panic button just yet.

“I felt like I hit the ball OK, not as good as I can, but it’s getting there,” he said. “This golf course, it’s the sort of place that you don’t really go that far under par anyway. You’ve just got to stay patient. But it would have been nice to finish off the round a bit better.”

Meanwhile, world number two Woods also struggled on the opening day to be even par through 18. The American felt he putted well, but was disadvantaged by the run of the ball on the greens.

“I hit good putts. I was getting fooled on the grain; some of it was snagging, some I would blow right through the top side,” Woods said.

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