Rory McIlroy has officially ruled out all thoughts of contesting next month’s Dubai Duty Free Open and any other ‘overseas’ event until well into 2021.
McIlroy declared he intends staying Stateside right up to and including the New Year that will now see him not play any regular European Tour event in this terrible COVID-19 hit year.
McIlroy confirmed his ‘staying at home’ intentions ahead of teeing-up in Thursday’s the Northern Trust, and the opening event of the three-tournament FedEx Cup ‘Play-Off’ Series being played just to the south of Boston.
Rory McIlroy does not intending leaving the US amid this continuing uncertain times which rules out all thoughts of returning home for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open
The four-time major winner had hinted some weeks back he may not elect to return home but that was prior to European Tour news last week Ireland’s premier golfing event would be a ‘no spectator’ affair and with the event being moved from the Mt. Juliet course to Galgorm.
And McIlroy’s decision is totally understandable amid these continuing uncertain times.
“I’m planning to remain in the States and I just don’t see myself travelling internationally for a while,” he said.
“I’m playing four of the next five evens here in the U.S. and with that last week being a Major Championship (14th-17th U.S. Open).
“My decision might be different if the Irish Open was not behind closed doors and there could be fans present and the like but seeing it will be behind closed doors it will not be an Irish Open like what we’ve been used to it being like the last few years with terrific prize funds and everything.
“It’s not just that as I really just want to spend time at home and not travel too much the next few months.”
Also helping McIlroy’s decision not to travel is the likelihood of the PGA Tour moving a number of the October 2020/21 Tour events from places such as Mississippi, Nevada and the CJ Cup in South Korea to the east coast of the States.
“That would suit me if they were to do that; I think it’s wonderful, not just — I mean, I don’t want to diminish the tournaments but it’s a gap-filler, right,” he said.
“You play the U.S. Open, you play those couple on the West Coast and then you play the Masters. That sounds like a wonderful fall schedule to me
McIlroy will tee-up on this week’s host TPC Boston course, and located just a 15-minute drive from Gillette Stadium and home ground to the NFLs New England Patriots, strangely looking for a first victory of 2020.
He did win last November’s WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai while the closest he’s come to victory in 2020 proper was third in January’s Farmers Insurance Open and his first event of the New Year.
However, McIlroy will tee-up on a course where he knows how to win, and in fact, TPC Boston is one of three PGA Tour venues where he’s won twice in his 18 PGA Tour winning career.
McIlroy won a then fifth PGA Tour career title in capturing the 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship and four years later the Ulster golfer grabbed a then 12th PGA Tour trophy in coming from six shots behind at the start of the final round, and picking-up six birdies to win by two from England’s Paul Casey.
“It’s always helpful going back to places where you’ve won and had good history,” he said.
“That was sort of a theme going into Harding Park. I had won there before and feeling good. Sometimes it doesn’t translate into having a chance to win a golf tournament.
“The most important thing is executing the shots, right, and my execution over the last few weeks hasn’t been as good as it’s needed to be, and it doesn’t matter how good you’ve played on a certain golf course before.
“If you’re not hitting the shots the way you want, then, you know, it’s not going to happen. You’re not going to have a chance. It is nice to be back to Boston. We missed it last year.
“So, it is nice to be back to a place where not — everyone is familiar with it. Most of the field, the Tour, and obviously myself having won here a couple of times.
“It’s always nice to get back to familiar surroundings.”
Joining McIlroy is fellow Irish Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry.
Lowry was among three from last week’s ‘regular season’ ending Wyndham Championship to have come from outside the leading 125 on the money list last week but leave the Sedgefield course inside the 125.
In Lowry’s case it was an anxious Sunday final round wait before confirmation of his 122nd place standing.
For Lowry it will be only a second time he’s made the lucrative ‘Play-Off’s’ while he’s also making his debut on TPC Boston.
And Lowry’s been shown no favours as the Open Champion teeing-up in the last group of the day, as a two-ball alongside England’s 123rd FedEx Cup ranked Tom Lewis.
