Rory McIlroy will break PGA Tour new ground for a second event running with confirmation coming in that he will contest next week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in California.
McIlroy will join Tiger Woods in the Euro 6.23m event again being held on the clifftop course overlooking the Pacific Ocean, having kick-started his 2019 season a fortnight ago in teeing-up, also for a first occasion in his career, at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Now the 29-year old has confirmed for the Farmers Insurance to be held from January 24th to 27th and the same week as the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour.
The duo of McIlroy and Tiger Woods will join the likes of former Farmers winners Jason Day (2015 & 2018), Jon Rahm (2017) plus Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Graeme McDowell and Xander Schauffele with Woods, along with capturing his last Major at Torrey Pines, a seven-time winner of the Farmers Insurance Open between 1999 to 2013.
Meantime – Shane Lowry and Paul Dunne will carry the Irish colours into today’s starting Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in the UAE capital.
Lowry is contesting the event for a first time since missing the cut in 2014 and having lost his PGA Tour card for this season while Dunne contested the event last year and highlighted by a third round 65 that had the Greystones golfer sharing ninth spot before a last day 74 saw him finish T19th.
Head-lining in Abu Dhabi is former World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, joined by now triple Major winning Brooks Koepka.
Koepka, 28 had ignited his career competing on the European Tour secondary Challenge Tour but indicated he will not be returning to the European Tour as a member, but rather he will attempt to squeeze more events into his schedule when possible.
“I try to come over here as much as I can, and I enjoy playing over here. It’s fun,” he said.
“The golf courses, some of them, like this place, I think suits me really well. I feel like this is kind of like a major championship golf course, the way it’s set up, which will be fun.”
IRISH TEE TIMES – (Irish Time)
Shane Lowry – 4am
Paul Dunne – 8.25am
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