Rory McIlroy has welcomed the prospect of the PGA Tour transferring to a extra condensed schedule sooner or later, which might enhance the highlight on tournaments just like the Australian Open.
McIlroy was the largest drawcard at Royal Melbourne this week, and whereas he by no means severely contended for the title – ending in a share of sixteenth at -7 – he delivered for Australian golf as huge crowds turned out to catch a glimpse of the profession grand slam winner.
Images and movies of the swarms of individuals lining the fairways in addition to surrounding tees and greens have gone across the globe on the identical time rumours have emerged out of america of a shortened season for the PGA Tour.
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It has been alleged the largest tour on the world is exploring lowering its calendar to roughly 20 occasions from February to August.
McIlroy, who has been a significant spokesman for the PGA Tour lately, revealed to reporters at Royal Melbourne that he’s for the proposed change.
“Yeah, I believe I perceive what they’re doing. They’re attempting to get their home mannequin proper earlier than focusing internationally, and so they clearly don’t wish to go up in opposition to soccer,” he stated.
“NFL is king within the States, and it is sensible from an American perspective, however then I believe it does let worldwide and world golf shine for 5 months of the yr.
“So if the Tour are actually serious about taking part in from February by way of to August, that leaves September by way of to January for right here and Europe and wherever else on this planet to actually be the shining gentle of golf for that 5 months.
“So I believe folks may actually get behind that. And also you form of have the American swing with possibly the Scottish Open and The Open within the center, however the remainder of the massive worldwide stuff form of in that September to January time-frame, which I believe works fairly nicely, particularly for the southern hemisphere, for tournaments like this.”
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The Australian Open would have the right launching pad to develop into an occasion that grabs the highlight if the PGA Tour do clear the decks throughout the southern hemisphere summer time.
This week’s occasion has clashed with the Tiger Woods hosted Hero World Problem within the Bahamas in addition to fellow DP World Tour occasion the Nedbank Problem in South Africa.
However the golf world has been most infatuated with the happenings at Royal Melbourne.
PGA Tour participant Max Homa took to social media to say: “Instagram has me feeling like I gotta play in Australia subsequent yr. Seems to be heavenly.”
Homa would nearly actually be one in every of a number of high American gamers with their curiosity in a visit down beneath piqued by the sensible crowds and gorgeous golf course.
Requested about Homa and different PGA Tour gamers probably becoming a member of him at Kingston Heath subsequent yr, the Masters champion took the possibility to poke enjoyable on the American has struggled with type of late, earlier than providing his severe verdict.
“I believe he’d should qualify first,” he stated of Homa with fun.
“However yeah, no, look, it will be wonderful. I believe the scenes and simply how this match has seemed on TV all week, you’ve that, have that on in Europe or again within the States or no matter, and it makes an impression.
“I stated this earlier within the week, however if you happen to examine this match to the opposite two tournaments occurring on this planet of golf this week, there’s no comparability.
“Sure, the sphere in The Bahamas is stronger than the one right here, however by way of environment, of golf course, mainly all the things else you’re in search of in a match, I can’t consider many higher than this.”
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McIlroy was additionally requested if the Rory mania that has swept over Royal Melbourne this week was what he anticipated when he dedicated to coming down beneath to play the Australian Open for the primary time since he returned to defend his title in 2014.
Whereas others might have been blown away by weekend crowds of greater than 30,000 and followers nearly bursting by way of the gates on the daybreak on Thursday morning, McIlroy stated the pandemonium what was he thought would greet him.
“Yeah, I believe so. I believe everybody is aware of what an excellent sports activities city Melbourne is and the way folks right here actually get behind the occasions which are placed on, whether or not it’s this or Aus Open tennis or the F1 otherwise you title it, anything that goes on right here,” he stated.
“Clearly the AFL and yeah, I keep in mind that the environment, even after I performed up in Sydney was wonderful as nicely. That weekend I performed in opposition to Adam at Royal Sydney was one of many coolest atmospheres I performed in.
“So yeah, simply completely, it’s been unimaginable and even Matt McCarty and I had been speaking about it on the market and I stated, ‘oh, what introduced you down right here?’ He stated, the golf course, stated ‘I actually needed to play a match at Royal Melbourne’.
“And he stated, I imply, you examine this to a majority of PGA Tour occasions, that is so a lot better.
“So I believe everybody actually appreciated the environment that they performed on this week, and hopefully it’ll be the identical subsequent yr at Kingston Heath and hopefully the match form of grows from right here and form of will get again to the stature that it deserves.”