Rory McIlroy opts to play French Open 

instead of  WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

By

John Strege

The US  PGA Tour, in its bid to accommodate the Olympics in its schedule, ran afoul of the European Tour for scheduling the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational a month earlier and opposed the French Open. 

It will pay a price for having done so, as Rory McIlroy, No. 3 in the World Ranking, is opting to play the French Open, 

McIlroy's decision will come as a huge boost for the European Tour which was annoyed by the US PGA Tour moving the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational into the same week as the French Open, continental Europe's oldest national championship.

“I feel that playing in the 100th Open de France at Le Golf National will be the best way to get ready for The Open, which is just two weeks after the French Open,” McIlroy told the official European Tour website.

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy, who won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2014, won't play this year.