Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy collide during ‘Rider Cup’ GolfBoard antic in Abu Dhabi

Jordan Spieth, after a mid-fairway earth-surfing crash during a publicity stunt, was one-up on Rory McIlroy even before the duo went toe-to-toe in Thursday’s first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The world’s Nos. 1 and 3 teamed up with Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson, respectively, on Tuesday in a “Rider Cup” challenge that involved racing to their shots across a Middle East course on GolfBoards.

The Spieth-Fowler team won the event, which apparently got rather heated. Fortunately for the contenders and their deep-pocketed sponsors, disaster was averted.

“It was actually quite competitive,” Rory McIlroy told reporters on Wednesday after the festivities, which featured the players navigating the fairways aboard hybrid golf carts/motorized skateboards. “Jordan nearly took me out. We collided halfway down the fairway. Thankfully I didn’t fall off.”

Spieth pleaded innocent of premeditation.

“Well, he’s one very good player that I could have taken out of the field,” he said with a laugh. “Rory and I were kind of going this way together and I kind of slowed down and bumped the back of his board. Fortunately his ankles stayed on the board.”

Hehe. Just a little “ankle” humor aimed at McIlroy, who infamously tore up his ankle last season during an unfortunate soccer accident.

So, not to worry. Unlike the nasty confrontation 2014 European Ryder Cup hero Jamie Donaldson had recently with a chainsaw, no golfer was injured in the pre-tourney PR caper.

“It was not deliberate,” Spieth said. “It was the first time I think for everybody on those boards. We’re just happy that we’re all standing today and ready to go.”

Spieth, McIlroy and Fowler were scheduled to go off the 10th tee at 7:40 a.m. local time in the opening round of the European Tour tilt.

For his part, Donaldson reported he was on the mend, though he did have to withdraw from the Abu Dhabi match.