Rory McIlroy rules out the Irish Open due to coronavirus

The Irish Open has been switched to Ballymena’s Galgorm Castle and takes place the week after the US Open at Winged Foot.

It forms part of a second “UK Swing” on the European Tour with the subsequent ASI Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship, but McIlroy is not interested in overseas travel during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m planning to stay in the States, I don’t see myself travelling internationally for a while,” McIlroy said in a press conference ahead of the Northern Trust at TPC Boston, the first FedEx Cup play-off event. “I’m playing four of the next five weeks with that last week being a major championship.

“It might be different if there could be fans there and stuff, but it’s behind closed doors and it’s not an Irish Open like we’re used to it being the last few years with obviously big prize funds and everything.

“But not even that, (it’s) just the fact that I just want to spend time at home and not travel too much the next few months.”

McIlroy has dropped to eighth in the FedEx Cup standings after failing to register a top-10 finish since golf’s resumption in June, but has won twice at TPC Boston.

“I’ve got this nice quote that I got from someone last week; don’t let your golf influence your attitude, let your attitude influence your golf,” added McIlroy.

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