With The Open returning to his native Northern Ireland this summer, Rory McIlroy has decided to skip the Irish Open to focus on his high-profile appearance at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy served as the tournament host of the Irish Open from 2015-18, but he won’t be in the field July 4-7 when the tournament heads to Lahinch. Instead, he’ll focus on practice that week before playing the Scottish Open, with The Open’s return to Portrush slated for July 18-21. It will mark the first time The Open has been played in Northern Ireland since 1951.
“If there is ever a year when I feel I can miss the Irish Open, it’s this year,” McIlroy told the BBC.