World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is determined to be ringside in Las Vegas on Saturday night whether or not he will continue to be competing in the WGC – Cadillac Match-Play Championship.

McIlroy will be among a host of top golfers for the much-anticipated Manny Pacquiao -v- Floyd Mayweather Jnr showdown.

And this despite the quarter-finals of the WGC event in San Francisco, and if the four-time Major winner advances that far, set to end as late as 7:30 p.m (Pacific time) and that’s an hour behind Las Vegas local time.

“Nothing that a few quick birdies won’t change if I try and win 7 and 6,” McIlroy said when asked about flying from San Francisco to Nevada.

Rory McIlroy determined to be in Las Vegas Saturday night for the ‘Fight of the 21st Century’.

“If the fight starts at maybe 10 o’clock like they usually do, then it should be OK.”

Except the fight is supposed to start somewhere between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m and it’s possible, as suggested by AP, McIlroy got the time zone mixed up, like he did at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah in Chicago.

But then McIlroy is no stranger to being ringside to watch Pacquiao fight and he’s determined to be there again for the fight being billed as ‘The Fight of the 21st Century”.

“I went to Pacquiao fight in ‘09, and then I think Mayweather fought later on that year, and then they were supposed to fight the next year and it never happened,” he said.

“So I’ve been waiting five years for this to happen.  “I always said if these two guys fought each other, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to go. Luckily, we’re somewhere close where I can get in line.

“Hopefully, I’m still a part of this tournament at that time, but it just wasn’t an opportunity that I was going to miss.”

Also set to be ringside is new Masters champion Jordan Spieth and 2016 European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke.

Spieth was asked about his plans to head to Las Vegas given he also could be competing on Saturday.

“If things don’t go perfectly this week, I may see him at the fight. Who knows?” Spieth said. “I don’t plan on being there. But I may be there.”