The world No. 3 birdied twice in his first three holes before a three-hour rain delay, then added another birdie on his first hole after the restart. Despite one bogey on the par-3 16th, McIlroy recovered with a birdie on the 17th to climb into a share of the lead.
'I've started to just really enjoy this style of golf,' McIlroy said. 'If you had asked me 10 years ago, I didn't enjoy these conditions, but it's been a shift in a mindset.' Aaron Rai eventually passed him with a late birdie before play was suspended due to darkness.