Rory McIlroy has talked the talk when it comes to offering solutions to repair male golf’s fractured landscape, and his desire to play more tournaments outside of the USA shows that he is prepared to walk the walk.
McIlroy has made regular appearances in the Middle East at the beginning and end of the DP World Tour season while he has also taken in stints in Scotland and Canada. He adds India to his global schedule this week before he ends a memorable year with the Australian Open in December – a tournament he won in 2013 and last played in 2014.
McIlroy has long lobbied for a world tour as a way to bring the best players in the world together more often while also providing the opportunity to elevate national opens back to their former glories.
Magnificent crowds have lined the fairways at the Irish and Spanish Opens and no doubt that Australia will reach fever pitch in two months time and the Holywood man would like other players to globetrot with him.
“I would say as time goes on, my schedule will get hopefully more international, because that’s what I’ve enjoyed doing,” said McIlroy.
“I’ve always said that. But I think over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed it even more. I’ve enjoyed the travel.
“I’ve enjoyed getting to play in front of people that I’ve never played in front of before.”
At the Players Championship back in March, McIlroy called for players to travel around the world more and leave the relative comfort of the US.
“I think there is an opportunity to have some of the bigger tournaments outside of America. Like I’ve always been a worldwide player. I play all around the world. I start my year in the Middle East. I come over here. I go to the UK. After the FedExCup Playoffs I go back to Europe and play four or five events.
“Yeah, there’s an opportunity. I think we need bigger events in Australia. I think the Australian Open needs to be put up the Australian Open was always a very big tournament back in the day, and I think that could be one that could be elevated along with some others.
“But yeah, I think there’s certainly an opportunity there to be a little more global and worldwide.”
A world tour would be a great solution to golf’s current problem and bringing the players to Australia, Ireland, Spain, France, Scotland, Denmark, India, South Africa etc would be a massive boost to golf especially when you look at the events on the DP World Tour after the FedEx Cup compared to the drivel thrown up by the PGA Tour.
Having a national open swing during two or three intervals during the season seems like a no brainer. Even the Hong Kong Open will welcome big names at Halloween time as it was given a Masters and Open exemption spot for the winner.
Six national opens were given exemption spots for the 2026 Masters and Open Championship, yet the Irish Open in Doonbeg wasn’t included on this list.
The Irish Open should have been included, it’s as big as the Scottish and Australian Opens if not bigger given its history. It should certainly be included on any potential world tour schedule.
This would be a timely and healing shot in the arm for men’s golf.
In a sport where money is at the centre of the conflict, nobody ever questions the prize purse at a national open…
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