World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and his wife, Erica are considering setting-up a base in the UK with news they may soon be purchasing a house in the London area.
It would make sense for the McIlroy’s to have a home in London for when Rory competes at the BMW PGA Championship while it would also offer him a place to call ‘home’ ahead of the 2020 Open Championship, being played next July in Kent.
A palatial residence around the Wentworth/Ascot area would seem very likely and, if so, one of his neighbours would be the Molinari’s who moved into new Ascot premises only recently.
A London residence would also allow both sets of parents to come and visit. Also, McIlroy would be very close to London Heathrow Airport from where he can easily jet-out to the States.
McIlroy revealed his ‘new London residency intentions’ in speaking with AGW colleague, Lewine Mair of Global Golf Post at last week’s WGC -HSBC Championship in China.
The World No. 2 will end his 2019 season at next fortnight’s DP World Tour Championship before revealing he will spend Christmas with his own parents in Belfast.
Spending Christmas in Ireland will mean McIlroy not competing in January’s PGA Tour Sentry Tournament of Champions, as he did earlier this year for a first time in his career.
He is on record as saying at last month’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship that if he spent Christmas with his wife’s parents in upper New York State, he would play Hawaii and if Christmas was to be celebrated in Ireland, he would not.
However, it is unsure if McIlroy, by not competing in Hawaii, would tee-up at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic but this would now appear unlikely as following the Festive Season, the McIlroy’s will return to Florida for the opening few months of the PGA Tour schedule, including February’s Genesis Open (February 13th to 16th), the WGC – Mexico Championship (February 20th to 23rd).
In March, McIlroy is expected to compete in the back-to-back Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 5th to 8th) and then defend his Players Championship crown (March 12th to 15th).
McIlroy will then be in Austin, Texas for the March 26th to 29th WGC – Dell Match-Play Championship.
The McIlroy’s are big fans of London having spent many happy days there together in a so very different environment to the gated-community lifestyle in Florida.
And in speaking with Lewine, McIlroy spoke fondly of wife, Erica and the part she now plays in his life.
“Professional golf is such a lonely pursuit. I’ve always been able to share what I’ve done in the game with my parents but now I’ve got Erica as well. She makes the good days better and the bad days not so bad.”
McIlroy also addressed his remarks immediately following the close at last month’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship when he remarked he felt the European Tour venues were ‘too easy’.
“The remarks I made directly after the Dunhill Links about European Tour courses not being tough enough were badly timed and I regretted them,” he said.
“My critics were right. Tougher courses wouldn’t have been vaguely appropriate at an event involving amateurs. My mistake was in failing to think beyond the Dunhill and the Renaissance (Club), where the Scottish Open was held. There are other stopping points on the European Tour – (Le) Golf National and Dubai to name but two – which are plenty tough enough.
“Now that I’ve had time to think about it, the best way I can find to explain why I disagree with easy courses is to liken them to exams which everyone in the field can pass with his eyes shut. I know this is going to sound a bit ‘geekish,’ but I believe in proper shot values. You should be penalised if you hit into the rough, etc.”
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