It’s finally confirmed and with Rory McIlroy indicating he has not re-joined the European Tour ahead of this week’s WGC – Mexico Championship and the first of eight events this year where prize-money earned counts on both the PGA and European Tour’s.
Following his revelations at last year’s DP World Tour Championship that McIlroy was turning his focus purely on the PGA Tour, he had never been asked in his two events of 2019 whether he had in fact joined or decided not to re-join the European Tour until quizzed during the final day of the Genesis Open.
This week’s WGC in Mexico City is the first of eight events this year with prize-money earned to count on both the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.
It means any McIlroy earns will not appear on the 2019 Race to Dubai money list.
Rory McIlroy confirms he has not re-joined the European Tour but plans to do so in May. (Photo @tourmiss)
And McIlroy’s also confirmed McIlroy he will also tee-up in both the March 27th starting WGC – Dell Technologies Match-Play in Austin, Texas and the following fortnight’s Masters still as a non-European Tour member.
The WGC – Mexico Championship thus becomes the first occasion after 191 European Tour events, and since his pro debut at The Belfry in late 2007, that McIlroy will tee-up under the umbrella of the European Tour but not as a member.
He is a Life Member of the European Tour and with that honour bestowed upon him in capturing a first Major with victory in the 2011 US Open though McIlroy, and like any other competitor, must pay an annual membership fee of the Tour to compete.
“Whatever I earn next week in Mexico will not count on the Race to Dubai as I’ve not re-joined the European Tour,” he said exclusively to www.golfbytourmiss.com ahead of teeing-up in the final round of the rain-affected Genesis Open.
“I was, for one reason or another, going to re-join at the end of last year but I didn’t though I’ll probably re-join in May.
“I was awarded Life Membership of the European Tour some time back but that is an honorary position and meaning you still have to re-join each year paying a membership fee.”
Though all is not lost to Europe with McIlroy indicating he will re-join the Tour in May but indicating he will be playing just four ‘regular’ Race to Dubai counting events in the remainder of the 2019.
One of those ‘regular’ events would seem McIlroy teeing-up in the May 9th commencing Tommy Fleetwood hosted British Masters at the Hillside course and adjoining Royal Birkdale.
Though it remains unclear if the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch, and starting on July 4th, and an event new tournament host Paul McGinley would dearly love to see McIlroy commit.
McIlroy also hinted late last year he could also contest the Scottish Open and the week prior to The Open.
