{"id":84367,"date":"2025-08-20T19:17:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T19:17:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/84367\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T19:17:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T19:17:06","slug":"rory-mcilroy-before-pga-tours-season-finale-expect-more-of-the-same-from-me-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/84367\/","title":{"rendered":"Rory McIlroy before PGA Tour’s season finale: Expect more of the same from me in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rory McIlroy says he’ll continue skipping the PGA Tour’s signature events in 2026 so long as he has the ‘luxury’ to pick his own schedule<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 36-year-old has been criticised for sitting out several of the circuit’s high-stakes tournaments with limited fields.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Masters champion McIlroy<\/a> decided not to play in the Memorial at Muirfield Village hosted by Jack Nicklaus, the season-opening Sentry in Hawaii, the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links and the first leg of the PGA Tour’s play-offs in Memphis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those defending McIlroy have pointed out the five-times major winner usually skips the Sentry as he tends to begin his campaign in the Middle East before heading to America to prep for the major season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The RBC Heritage also falls a week after The Masters<\/a> so McIlroy could be forgiven for having a week off after fulfilling a lifetime ambition of sealing the career grand slam.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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In truth, perhaps the only surprise was McIlroy deciding not to play in Ohio and not even giving the Golden Bear a heads-up<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McIlroy will also play in India and Australia after the Ryder Cup – and he remains committed to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the Irish Open at the K Club.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’ll always look at the schedule at the start of the year and see what best fits me and my life, and everything else that I do with family or other opportunities that I’m pursuing outside of golf,” he told reporters on Tuesday ahead of the PGA Tour<\/a>‘s season finale at East Lake.<\/p>\n

“This year that meant skipping a few signature events. [Next year] I might skip less, I might skip the same amount.<\/p>\n

“The luxury of being a PGA Tour player is we’re free to pick and choose our own schedule for the most part.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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“I took advantage of that this year and I’ll continue to take advantage of that for as long as I can.”<\/p>\n

New changes are ‘positive’<\/p>\n

The PGA Tour also unveiled their full 2026 schedule on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are now nine signature events which feature $180m in prize money. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The North American circuit are also returning<\/a> to Donald Trump’s Doral course in Florida for the first time since 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McIlroy said he believe the changes are good.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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“I think it’s all positive,” said McIlroy of the schedule tweaks.<\/p>\n

“Golf builds through the January, February, March months, gets a huge popularity spike through [the Masters at] Augusta and to try and keep that momentum going through the next few weeks, through the [US] PGA, through the US Open, I think is a good thing.<\/p>\n

“It’s quite a workload for the players to play that much golf in that stretch but it’s not as if we’re having to travel halfway around the world to do it.”<\/p>\n

“I like him a lot”<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, McIlroy said he met the PGA Tour’s new chief executive – Brian Rolapp – for the first time in person last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The pair talked about the disruption to the men’s game since LIV Golf<\/a>‘s arrival, he said, and plans for the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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“I like him,” McIlroy said. “I like him a lot. I like that he doesn’t come from golf. I like that he doesn’t have any preconceived ideas of what golf should look like or what the Tour should look like.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I think he’s going to bring a fresh perspective to everything, and I think he wants to move pretty quick, so I’m excited.”<\/p>\n

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