Rory McIlroy latest European player to

snub US PGA Tour

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND.WEBSITEBy BERNIE McGUIRE

Rory McIlroy joined the burgeoning ranks of leading European golfers to turn their backs on the US PGA Tour when he announced yesterday he would not be renewing his full-time membership.

The player held a meeting with PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem in Shanghai on Sunday night, informing him he would not be renewing his membership in 2011.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer recently indicated he would not be taking up membership, having earned a 10-year exemption through his victory in the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Lee Westwood, the world No.1, reiterated last week in Shanghai that he would not be enticed into rejoining the US Tour, while Italy’s Francesco Molinari, who ended a six-year run without a win by capturing the HSBC Championship on Sunday, said he has no intention of joining, especially as his wife is expecting their first child in February.

It was exactly a year ago in Hong Kong that McIlroy expressed his joy that he was to join the US Tour from January 1. Fast-forward to September and the player from Holywood, Belfast, said he was certain of his decision to quit the US Tour while in America for the FedEx Cup play-off series.

"I don’t have a base in the States and, besides, I enjoy my time too much back at home," said McIlroy.

He had been up early one morning watching TV coverage of the Omega European Masters, the Swiss event where he was runner-up in 2008.

“I found myself in America last year, especially in the FedEx Cup play-off series, just not wanting to be there, especially on the golf course,” said McIlroy.

“I switched on the Golf Channel and began watching the Omega European Masters in Switzerland and thinking to myself I would rather be there instead. Sometimes you feel as though you have to be in America just to play the mandatory 15 tournaments and, at the start of this year, that was something I really wanted to do.
“I did that but I then realised it wasn’t for me. Of course, that doesn’t mean to say I don’t want to play full-time in the United States again. It would be easier if I had a place in the States and that would definitely make it easier to play both Tours.
“Besides, with the majors and the WGCs [World Golf Championships], plus a few other events such as my defence of the Wells Fargo Championship [previously Quail Hollow Championship] I will still play 11 or 12 there next year, and I will be happy with that.”
McIlroy admitted his decision was also influenced by a fondness for playing in Europe while a decision to increase the number of events to retain automatic membership to 13 from next season also tipped the scales.
“The decision that you have to play 13 tournaments [to keep your European card] does make it more difficult but I had made my mind up before the new rule was announced,” he said. “I don’t have a base in the States and, besides, I enjoy my time too much back at home.
“Holly [Sweeney, his girlfriend] also has another two years at university and we have two dogs, a nice house and I love my life back in Northern Ireland, back in Europe. I don’t want ever to give that up. [In any case] if I keep playing the way I have been playing, I will get all the invitations I need.
“After playing in the Ryder Cup, I got a great sense of the camaraderie out there and I got to know many of the European guys a lot better.

“If you are playing well in the States it’s a great place to be but, if you’re not, it can be a lonely place, whereas, if you are not playing well on the European Tour, you still have plenty of mates to hang out with.”

McIlroy was in Singapore yesterday for a corporate outing but has decided to return home to Northern Ireland for a week’s break rather than contesting the co-sanctioned Barclays Singapore Open which starts on Thursday.