Four-time major winning Rory McIlroy revealed he is heading to New Zealand later this year for a first occasion in his pro golfing career.
However, it will not be to tee-up in any New Zealand sanctioned Tour event but with the World No. 3 set to join a handful of close friends travelling to the Land of the Long White Cloud and play a number to the countries golfing gems.
“I going to join some good friends playing some of the great golf courses of New Zealand such as Tara Iti, Kauri Cliffs and great courses like those”, he said to GolfByTourMiss and three other journalists.
“I have a friend who owns a house in New Zealand, so he is organising us for five days, so it’s going to be nice playing golf down there and just hanging out at the end of the year”.
BREAKING NEWS ….
World No. 3 @McIlroyRory @RMTracker confirms he’s returning @VisitNewZealand @nzgolfmag @NZGolf later this year in a first since 2006
A first & only prior occasion being Sir Michael Bonnalack
Read: https://t.co/6mTsGCIqSc
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— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) October 6, 2024
Indeed, it will a first time McIlroy will have taken his golf clubs to New Zealand in some 18-years since 2006 when, as a then 16-year-old amateur he was a member of the winning European Team that played the Sir Michael Bonallach Trophy at the host Auckland Golf Club. Among McIlroy’s victorious team-mates that year was Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Dutchman Joost Luiten and England’s Ollie ‘Mr.59’ Fisher.
McIlroy’s return to New Zealand will mark the close of a busy year for the now 35-year-old who will have played 27 both regular DP World Tour and PGA Tour events. He will wind-up formal competition just prior to his New Zealand golfing holiday by teaming with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a made-for-TV match against LIV stars Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in Las Vegas.
“It’s been a busy year with this week’s Dunhill being my 25th tournament while the Abu Dhabi HSBC and the following week’s DP World Tour Championship will be my 26th and 27th of my year”, he said.
“I’ve then still a bit going-on as I have that match in Vegas later in November and then will be looking forward to going to New Zealand.
“So, I will still be keeping busy these next few months but already looking forward to doing other things that I am interested in and just spending time doing other stuff”.
The World No. 3 was speaking following a closing four-under par 68 for an eventual 14-under tally on the final day of the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.