Rory McIlroy has confirmed he’ll miss the primary PGA Tour Signature Occasion of the season in favour of enjoying the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort.
Rory McIlroy has introduced he’ll participate in January’s Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort (Picture: Getty)
Rory McIlroy has revealed he’ll skip the opening PGA Tour Signature Occasion of the season to compete within the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort as an alternative.
The five-time Main winner at the moment sits atop the 2025 Race to Dubai standings and is poised to kick off the 2026 marketing campaign with consecutive weeks within the UAE for each the Dubai Invitational and the Hero Dubai Desert Basic. McIlroy issued a press release confirming his plans to start the brand new season within the UAE, which implies he might be absent from the primary PGA Tour Signature Occasion of the 12 months.
The Sentry is because of start on January 8 and conclude on January 11, however the Northern Irishman might be lacking for the seventh consecutive 12 months.
He mentioned: “I am excited to be beginning my 12 months in Dubai. The UAE is a spot the place I’ve loved a number of nice weeks, and I am certain this might be no totally different.
“Dubai Creek Resort was a implausible host venue two years in the past, and Abdulla and his crew placed on an unimaginable occasion.
“I got here very near successful that week, so I am hoping 2026 might be one other actually good 12 months for me – and to begin sturdy within the Center East could be the right method to get it beneath means.”
Rory McIlroy competing within the DP World India Championship 2025 (Picture: Getty)
Hideki Matsuyama shattered the PGA Tour scoring document with a season-opening triumph at The Sentry in Hawaii final 12 months, banking £2.7m in prize cash within the course of.
McIlroy’s selection will see him sacrifice the chance to assert that prize, although it hardly comes as a shock given he hasn’t contested the match since 2019, when he secured a tie for fourth place.
The suggestion to start in Dubai might show shrewd, provided that the situation for subsequent 12 months’s match stays unconfirmed. The PGA introduced final month that the competitors is not going to happen in Hawaii initially of 2026 resulting from irrigation issues on the Kapalua Resort.
While no alternative venue has been determined upon, NBC and Golf Channel pundit Mark Rolfing hinted earlier this month that the occasion may not proceed as scheduled.
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“I do not suppose there may be any state of affairs the place the Sentry may be performed in 2026,” he advised the Fried Egg Golf podcast.
“There’s all these conversations about why could not we play some place else. The schedule is mainly full. We’re 85 days away from the beginning of the match. It is simply too late. There’s simply no time for planning.”
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He went on: “We perceive what occurred and we have to actually begin serious about 2027 for the Sentry and for the Sony Open [played a week later]. These two are joined on the hip in a means. And the way can we overcome the problems which might be beginning to amplify themselves which might be going to make it extra sophisticated for Hawaii.”
McIlroy was instrumental in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph at Bethpage Black final month – their first victory on American territory in 13 years. He made his comeback on the DP World India Championship however completed tied for twenty sixth at 11 beneath. The Northern Irishman has but to disclose his PGA Tour programme for 2026 however will function within the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne on December 4.
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