McIlroy puts family first; AIG Women's Open test for Irish trio
TROON, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 18: Olivia Mehaffey of Northern Ireland looks on during a practice round ahead of the AIG Women's Open 2020 at Royal Troon on August 18, 2020 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by R&A - Handout/R&A via Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy will put family time ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open as he faces a five-week battle for FedEx Cup and US Open glory.
The world No 3 confirmed he won’t be at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort to play for a minimal €1.25 million prize fund behind closed doors.
“I'm planning to stay in the States,” said McIlroy, who is tees it up in the $9.5 million Northern Trust seeking a third career win at TPC Boston that would represent a giant step towards a third FedEx Cup win. “I don't see myself traveling internationally for a while.
“I'm playing four of the next five weeks with that last week being a major championship.
“It might be different if it wasn’t behind closed doors, and there could be fans there and stuff. It's not an Irish Open like we're used to it being the last few years with obviously big prize funds and everything.
“But not even that, just the fact that I just want to spend time at home and not travel too much the next few months.”
McIlroy is hoping to rediscover the focus he had earlier in the season so he can challenge for that $15 million FedEx Cup jackpot and reckons a change in attitude is key.
“The last few weeks haven't really been what I've wanted… results-wise, even practice-wise and technique-wise,” said the Co Down man who is eighth in the FedEx Cup race with Graeme McDowell 113th and Shane Lowry 122nd with only the top 70 progressing to the penultimate event in Chicago.
“I sound like a broken record. I saw some good signs last week in practice, and just a matter of it translating out into the competitive arena.”
The top three in the FedEx Cup standings — Justin Thomas, PGA champion Collin Morikawa and Webb Simpson—will tee it up together as McIlroy partners Daniel Berger and Brendan Todd on a course were he won in 2012 and ‘16
Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka pulled out, however, citing knee and hip issues.
“It's probably smart,” McIlroy said. “We've all seen his physical struggles since last year. You know, take a few weeks off. Try to get himself ready for the U.S. Open, and then the Masters coming up, as well.”
In the women’s game, Royal Troon is the venue for the AIG Women’s Open with amateur Olivia Mehaffey (22) set to tee it up in the opening group with Alena Sharp and Dame Laura Davies (56), who will mark on her 40th appearance in the event by hitting the opening tee shot.
Stephanie Meadow will be looking to build on some encouraging LPGA form andimprove on a dismal major record since she finished third in the 2014 US Open, making just one cut of her last 11 starts.
Mehaffey and Leona Maguire both know how it feels to win the Helen Holm Scottish Strokeplay at Troon and the Co Cavan star knows what she has to do with brutal conditions forecast.
“Driving the ball well on links is about avoiding those pot bunkers, not distance,” Maguire said. “It’s more of a chess match, placing your way around.
“At times you can be conservative but you risk leaving yourself a lot to do, so to give yourself a fighting chance you sometimes have to stand up and hit a shot.”
It’s the first time that the Women’s Open has been played at Royal Troon and they leading female players in the world can look forward to playing some of the game’s best courses over the next few years following an announcement by R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers yesterday.
In announcing the next five venues, Mr Slumbers revealed that Muirfield, who voted just last year to allow women as members, will host for the first time in 2022.
Carnoustie (2021), Walton Heath (2023), the Old Course at St Andrews (2024) and Royal Porthcawl (2025) complete the rota for the next five years.
“It's a huge statement,” he said. “It's a huge statement of their commitment to the game and their commitment to the women's game. But the whole five years is intended to be a huge statement of intent about how we want to provide the platform for the best women golfers to play on some of the best golf courses that we can offer in GB&I. It's a five-year run that really should whet the appetite of every great golf lover.”
Meanwhile, Gavin Moynihan, Cormac Sharvin, Paul Dunne and Jonathan Caldwell will be trying to stop Sam Horsfield winning for the third time in four weeks when they tee it up in the European Tour’s ISPS HANDA Wales Open at the Celtic Manor Resort.
