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For the primary time since 2019, Rory McIlroy is again on the hallowed grounds of Pebble Seashore Golf Hyperlinks. He hasn’t been to the Monterey Peninsula for the reason that U.S. Open, a match at which he tied for ninth. This time round, he’s hoping to hold some early-year momentum into the PGA Tour’s second signature occasion of the season, the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am.
The Northern Irishman has performed within the outdated Crosby Clambake simply as soon as, lacking the 54-hole reduce in 2018.
However he enters this yr’s match in nice kind, successful in his final begin on the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Traditional (McIlroy got here second to Tommy Fleetwood the week earlier than on the Dubai Invitational).
“Clearly a good way to start out the yr, two weeks play, two instances in competition,” the world No. 2 informed the media throughout his pre-tournament press convention Tuesday. “And to get a win early on is at all times a pleasant confidence booster, a pleasant method to come right into a busy — a fairly busy stretch right here going form of into the spring and past.”
As for his return to Pebble, McIlroy is glad to be again.
“Good to be again at Pebble Seashore, it’s been some time… The course clearly performs somewhat totally different this time of the yr than in June… Simply attempting to refamiliarize myself with the golf course somewhat bit.”
The Professional-Am obtained a facelift this season, with amateurs enjoying alongside the professionals for the primary two rounds. Pebble Seashore and Spyglass Hill will likely be utilized on Thursday and Friday earlier than simply the professionals tackle Pebble over the weekend. McIlroy stated he performed Pebble on Tuesday and plans to play Spyglass on Wednesday, relying on the climate (the forecast by way of the weekend doesn’t look nice).
Pebble Professional-Am: Odds, picks to win | Sleepers
On prime of being requested in regards to the standing of his recreation and his latest win, McIlroy was posed a number of questions concerning Tyrrell Hatton’s latest transfer to LIV Golf, potential punishment for gamers hoping to return to the Tour and extra.
Right here’s what he needed to say:
Staff Europe golfer Rory McIlroy talks to golfer Tyrrell Hatton and captain Luke Donald throughout a group photograph previous to a observe spherical of the Ryder Cup golf competitors at Marco Simone Golf and Nation Membership. Obligatory Credit score: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports activities
“On the finish of the day everybody must do with what’s proper for them. I had a protracted discuss with Tyrrell on Sunday, fully understood the place he was coming from. I’ve form of been — you recognize, I’ve talked to him fairly a bit about it over the previous month. It obtained to the purpose the place they, you recognize, negotiated and obtained to a spot the place he was comfy with and he has to do what he feels is true for him. So I’m not going to face in anybody’s means from earning money and if what they deem life-changing cash, like completely.”
“Once more, I stated to him similar to I stated to Jon, like I’m completely supportive of your determination if that’s what you are feeling is the fitting factor for you. Look, these are guys that I’ve spent loads of time with, and I assume I’ve stated this earlier than, however I’ve come to the conclusion I’m not right here to vary folks’s minds, I’m right here to simply attempt — particularly after I was on the board degree, attempting to provide them the complete image of the place issues are at and hopefully the place issues are going to go. They will do with that data what they need.”
Jon Rahm of Spain shakes palms with Rory McIlroy of Northern Eire on the first tee on Day One among The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership on July 20, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Picture by Warren Little/Getty Photographs)
“I feel life is about selections. Guys made selections to go and play LIV, guys made selections to remain right here. If folks nonetheless have eligibility on this tour they usually need to come again and play otherwise you need to attempt to do one thing, allow them to come again. I imply, I don’t — I don’t suppose — I feel it’s onerous to punish folks. I don’t suppose there must be a punishment for — clearly I’ve modified my tune on that as a result of I see the place golf is and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and having a diminished LIV Tour or anything is unhealthy for each events.
“It might be a lot better being collectively and transferring ahead collectively for the nice of the sport. That’s my opinion of it. So to me, the sooner that we will all get again collectively and begin to play and begin to have the strongest fields attainable I feel is nice for golf.”
Rory McIlroy shakes palms with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan after a information convention at East Lake Golf Membership forward of the 2022 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta. (Picture: Steve Helber/Related Press)
“Yeah, I wouldn’t say I’m concerned within the decision-making course of in any respect actually. I simply hope they get it achieved. I do know that they have been presupposed to vote on it Sunday night time and there was a delay, they have been presupposed to vote on it final night time and there was a delay. I really feel like this factor may have been over and achieved with months in the past. I feel only for all of our sakes that the earlier that we form of get out of it and now we have a path ahead, the higher.”
Rory McIlroy poses together with his mother and father Rosie and Gerry McIlroy subsequent to his trophy after successful the Hero Dubai Desert Traditional on the Majlis Course on the Emirates Golf Membership in Dubai on January 21, 2024. (Picture by Ryan Lim/AFP through Getty Photographs)
“Ought to I’ve by no means went on the board? I feel so. I really — I feel I stated this after I did step off, I’m glad being busy, I similar to to be busy doing the issues that I feel usually are not ‘value it,’ I feel that’s the mistaken method to phrase it, however extra I simply didn’t really feel like I may affect issues the way in which I wished to and I felt like I used to be simply banging my head in opposition to the wall and it was time for me to step off and form of focus by myself stuff.”
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