McIlroy elected first non-American PAC Chairman as Harrington plots escape to LA

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Brooks Koepka chat on the No. 7 tee during Round 4 of the Masters

Rory McIlroy has become the first non-American to be elected Chairman of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council (PAC).

The Co Down star (31) prevailed over Russell Knox and Kevin Streelman in a vote by the tour’s membership.
He will succeed Jordan Spieth as a Player Director on the PGA Tour Policy Board next year, serving a three-year term.

He will join James Hahn, Charley Hoffman and Kevin Kisner on the Policy Board, becoming the first international player to serve.

“I think it's important to me,” McIlroy said in Phoenix two week ago when asked his reasons for
standing for election. “I feel like I've been on tour long enough now that I sort of know the ins and outs of the goings-on of day-to-day tour life and the business of the tour, and I think I have some pretty good ideas.”

The 16-member PAC advises and consults with the PGA Tour Policy Board (Board of Directors) and Commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the tour.

“I think with this new strategic partnership, alliance with the European Tour, knowing those guys as I do, being close with the leadership of the PGA Tour over here, I think I could help in some ways. I think I could facilitate something,” McIlroy said.

“If I am elected, I would be very honoured to do the job. It's something that I feel quite passionately about. It would be an honour to represent the players on the advisory board.”

McIlroy returns to action in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club this week, where he has been drawn with fellow big-hitters, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Champ (1943 & 1513 Irish time).

European Ryder Cup captain Pádraig Harrington, meanwhile, does not emerge from his 10 days of quarantine until Thursday morning and will head directly from Pebble Beach to Los Angeles to tee it up in the penultimate group with Russell Henley and Brian Stuard (2038 & 1608 Irish time).

The Dubliner has no qualms about teeing up just hours after emerging from COVID-19 isolation where he was only able to exercise and swing into an impact bag following his positive test last week.

"I expect to play, and to be ready to play," he told RTÉ Sport. "I may not get a negative result to be able to travel back to Ireland, so I might as well play golf, even if I’m not 100% prepared.”

After winning the 2008 Open Championship the last time he competed without a practice round, he has “nothing to lose” and only fears his a lack of sharpness at a course he’s played 40 times since 2007.

“If it was a new golf course, I certainly wouldn’t be doing it,” he said. "The only issue with playing is a golf issue. If you gave me a 220-yard shot with a five-iron, you are not going to forget how to hit that. You either hit it good or bad. It’s fine.

“If you were to ask me on Thursday afternoon to hit a 77-yard pitch to a back pin with three yards behind, I don’t know if I’d be able to hit that shot."

Meanwhile, Workday has stepped in as title sponsor of the WGC Mexico Championship during its one-year hiatus in Florida.

The World Golf Championships-Workday Championship will be played at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton next week with McIlroy and Shane Lowry in the field.