Rory McIlroy has admitted he is still undecided how to attack his pre-major schedule ahead of his latest bid to complete the career Grand Slam next month at The Masters.
McIlroy will once again be among the pre-tournament favourites for the opening major of the year, live from April 10-13 on Sky Sports, where victory would see him become just the sixth men’s player – and first since Tiger Woods – to complete the career Grand Slam.
The Northern Irishman remains without a major victory since his 2014 PGA Championship success, the same year he registered the first of seven career top-10s at The Masters, with McIlroy tinkering with his schedule in recent years ahead of the major season.
As The Masters approaches, here’s a look back at the best and worst shots from Rory McIlroy’s long history at Augusta National
McIlroy will feature in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players in Florida over the next two weeks, both live on Sky Sports, although is still yet to work out where – or if – he will tee it up again before heading to The Masters.
“I’m still making a bit of a decision,” McIlroy said ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I’m going to play these next two weeks, I’ll see how these next two weeks go, and then I’ll sort of re-assess.
Rory McIlroy can close the gap on Scottie Scheffler at the top of the world rankings over the next two events
“I don’t like the idea of having three weeks off going into The Masters, so I may add one event, but I’m still between what event that may be.
“It really just depends on how these two weeks go and how I’m feeling about my game. I would imagine I would add an event leading into there, it just depends on whether it’s Houston [Houston Open] or San Antonio [Texas Open].”
Rory McIlroy will look to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational for a second time this week, live on Sky Sports
The majors currently remain the only opportunity for players from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League to compete alongside each other, with no resolution yet in place to bring golfers back together and reunify the men’s game.
Woods previously said the men’s game can “heal quickly” with the involvement of President Donald Trump, although PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan warned he doesn’t see a deal being finalised in time for their flagship event at TPC Sawgrass next week.
A deal to reunify men’s golf is moving closer, according to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who thanked United States President Donald Trump for ‘getting involved for the good of the game’
“I think it takes two to tango,” McIlroy added, having been asked to give his views on the reunification attempts. “If one party is willing and ready and the other isn’t, it sort of makes it tough.
“I gave a lot of thought to it a couple of years ago, but less now. You could create exemption categories that you try to capture who you want to capture. You know, major winners in the last three years, plus The Players champions, I don’t know. But yeah, not my department.
“I don’t think it’s ever felt that close, but it doesn’t feel like it’s any closer.”
Rory McIlroy said ahead of the Genesis Invitational that the introduction of LIV Golf has benefited the players financially, but believes everyone should now start looking forward to unify the men’s game
McIlroy later explained: “I think the narrative around golf would welcome a deal in terms of just having all the best players together again, but I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal. I think the momentum is pretty strong. TV [viewing figures] has been good, TGL’s been hopefully pretty additive to the overall situation.
“The landscape might have looked a little different then than it does now over these past couple of weeks. I think it [a deal] would still be the ideal scenario for golf as a whole, but from a pure PGA Tour perspective, I don’t think it necessarily needs it.”
Who will win the Arnold Palmer Invitational? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports + and 4pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 7pm. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
