Rory McIlroy has decided to prolong his post-Masters break and skip his second successive $20 million signature event.
The six-time Major winner opted not to play the RBC Heritage the week after his second win at Augusta National.
But his absence from the entry list for next week’s inaugural $20 million Cadillac Championship at President Donald Trump’s Blue Monster course at Doral in Miami has raised some eyebrows.
It possibly indicates that McIlroy plans to be even more selective about his tournament starts as he seeks to peak for more Major wins.
He also celebrates his 37th birthday the Monday after the Doral event, which hosted the WGC-Cadillac Championship from 2007 to 2016.
The Florida tournament will be Shane Lowry’s next start after his rollercoaster season took another stomach-churning dive in Louisiana last night.
The Offaly man and playing partner Brooks Koepka missed the cut in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where they were amongst the pre-tournament favourites
An opening six under 66 in the fourballs left them struggling to make the top 33 teams and ties who made the cut, and in the end, they finished one stroke outside the mark on nine under par last night after carding a three under 69 in the foursomes.
To rub salt in the wound, they were playing alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and his brother Alex, who shot a sparkling 65 to end the day in a three-way tie for second on 15-under, a shot behind leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who shot a modest 70.
Lowry had a chance to get his new partner, a replacement for McIlroy, into the weekend when Koepka hit a brilliant shot at the par-three ninth, their final hole.
But Lowry’s tricky ten-footer never threatened the hole, and Seamus Power and his German playing partner Matti Schmid now hold the Irish interest heading into the weekend.
After opening with a 63, they shot a four under 68 in the foursomes to go into the weekend with a chance of victory.
At 13-under, they're just two shots behind Smalley and Springer in the race for a pay cheque for $1,372,750 each, 400 FedEx Cup points and a two-year exemption at a time when only the top 100 players are exempt.
With the surviving 35 teams covered by just six shots, Power and Schmid will be looking for better than their opening 63 in today's fourball round alongside Ben Martin and Trace Crow.
Lowry and Koepka weren’t the only notable team to miss the cut in New Orleans.
Tony Finau and Max Greyserman also finished on nine under, while Michael Brennan and Johnny Keefer – who shot an 11-under 61 in the opening round – struggled to a 75 in the foursomes to miss out.
At the Chevron Championship, it's also a weekend off for Leona Maguire for the fourth time in eight starts this season and the fifth time in her last 11 Majors.
Two rounds of 76 left her six shots outside the cut mark on eight over and a long way off the pace set by Nelly Korda.
The two-time Major winner shot a brace of 65s to lead by six strokes at Memorial Park in Houston from 2021 Chevron Championship winner Patty Tavatanakit.
Maguire’s lack of length was a disadvantage at a course that even a big hitter like Tavatanakit found demanding.
“It's playing really long, so overall I'm really happy with where I'm at,” the Thai said after carding a bogey-free 69 last night, averaging 262 yards off the tee to Maguire’s 242 yards
Article Link: McIlroy opts to skip Trump’s Blue Monster and another $20m signature event - News - Irish Golf Desk