Golf news round-up as Tommy Fleetwood confirms his plans and Rory McIlroy is urged to consider his Masters preparations
Tommy Fleetwood has made plans for later in the season(Image: Getty Images)
Fresh from a thrilling Players Championship, the countdown is on ahead of the Masters at Augusta. Matt Fitzpatrick, looking to become the first Englishman to win the unofficial ‘fifth major’, led by one on the 17th tee but a par-bogey finish cost him as Cameron Young closed birdie-par to complete the biggest victory of his career by one stroke.
Both men took advantage of a final-round collapse from overnight leader Ludvig Aberg, who dropped three shots in two holes after the turn. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy’s defence of the tournament was a disappointing one.
After only just making the cut, the Masters champion had to settle for a tie for 46th. With three more PGA Tour tournaments before the Masters, McIlroy is weighing up whether to play again ahead of his defence of the Green Jacket. Here’s a round-up of the latest golf news…
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MacIntyre withdraws from tournament
Next up on the PGA Tour is the Valspar Championship in Florida, beginning on Thursday. However, there’ll be no Robert MacIntyre at Copperhead following his strong performance at The Players, where he finished fourth, three shots off Young.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy makes Masters defence plan and reveals Players Championship verdictREAD MORE: Matt Fitzpatrick left heartbroken as “good friend” costs him £3.4million payday
MacIntyre appears to be in need of a break after admitting it was “stressful” as he challenged for victory on Sunday. He said: “I was actually struggling to eat early in the back nine.
“Middle of that back nine, I really thought I was in with a shout. The way I’m playing, driving it beautifully, putting unbelievable, it was just a matter of getting that ball inside 30 feet and then look out. Just disappointed with the bogeys on the back nine to finish, but I gave it a shot.”
McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood will also miss the Valspar Championship.
Robert MacIntyre admitted it was stressful battling for victory at the Players Championship(Image: Getty Images)
Fleetwood announcement
Fleetwood has confirmed he will defend his title at the DP World India Championship later this year. The world number three won the inaugural edition of the tournament last year after defeating a high-calibre field at Delhi Golf Club.
The victory was part of a stellar end to 2025 for Fleetwood, who won the FedEx Cup and helped Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup on American soil. He said: “I had an incredible week at the DP World India Championship last season.
“There is so much to enjoy about being in India, from the warmth of the people, the atmosphere in the city, to the food, and playing at such a challenging and strategic course. It was a pleasure to tee it up in the inaugural event as part of such an incredible field, and I look forward to more of the same in October.”
The 2026 tournament takes place from October 15-18.
Tommy Fleetwood celebrates with his son, Frankie, at the DP World India Championship(Image: Getty Images)
McIlroy’s big decision
McIlroy may need to play some competitive golf before his defence of the Masters, according to Paul McGinley. Having gone into The Players nursing a back issue, the Northern Irishman may not play again until Augusta.
However, after his underwhelming title defence at Sawgrass, McGinley believes he could play in at least one pre-Masters event. The former Ryder Cup captain told Sky Sports: “Now he has got these four rounds done, he can continue his recovery from this back issue and make sure that is done. He can reset himself, take a bit of a break and get some practice for Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy has plenty to figure out ahead of the Masters(Image: James Gilbert/Getty Images)
“Having said that, the fact that he didn’t play well over the weekend has probably put that bit of doubt in his mind that he might need some more competitive rounds under his belt.
“If he’d have had a strong weekend, I think he would have stuck to his original schedule, but he’s now considering an extra event because he did play poorly.”
The Valspar is followed by the Houston Open and the Texas Open in San Antonio. McGinley believes McIlroy would be more likely to play in Houston.