So far this summer, most of the headlines revolving around Rory McIlroy have centered on things he’s saying and doing off the golf course. He doesn’t seem to mind.
After leading Team Europe to a rare road win at the Ryder Cup in the fall, McIlroy further cemented his legend status this spring by winning his second consecutive Masters.
Rory McIlroy, Wife Erica, Take in Wimbledon Scene
Understandably, he has spent some time relaxing and celebrating since. The grand slam champion seems perfectly content playing a limited PGA Tour schedule, as once again evidenced on July 1, as he and wife Erica made their way to Wimbledon to take in some championship tennis.
They were joined by members of the European team, including Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
The Euros, also joined by captain Luke Donald and vice captains Edoardo Molinari and Thomas Bjorn, got a hearty round of applause as they took their seats in the Royal Box at Centre Court. None got a bigger reception than McIlroy, who unsurprisingly celebrated the occasion by wearing his green jacket from his April Masters victory.
Summer of Rory Continues, as PGA Tour Seems Worlds Away
McIlroy has appeared in just nine PGA Tour tournaments this season, including the three majors. Since winning the Masters the second week of April, the world No. 2 has made just four starts, including the PGA Championship and US Open, with just one top-10 finish in those appearances.
McIlroy had a nice start to the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, firing a 1-under 69 in the opening round, but faded as the tournament went on, finishing T-32nd. The biggest headline he made that week came from his comments about proposed changes to the PGA Tour schedule, noting concern about what the Tour’s new two-track model could mean in the long run. Of course, McIlroy also noted his light schedule would likely get even lighter over that time.
McIlroy and the Tour even took some heat when he decided to skip the Travelers Championship, a signature event, the week after the US Open. As McIlroy prepared for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, fans and media criticized him for skipping another signature event, and the Tour came under fire for essentially creating a loophole that allowed McIlroy to do so.
When the Tour formally announced the changes last week, however, McIlroy’s tone changed somewhat, at least in an official capacity, as the Tour released an official statement on his behalf.
Meanwhile, the only two tournaments currently listed on McIlroy’s schedule, per his official website, are the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. The Travelers was the final non-major signature event of the season, meaning McIlroy probably won’t tee it up again on the Tour in America until the FedEx Cup playoffs begin on Aug. 13. Then again, that might not even be the case, as McIlroy skipped the opener — the FedEx St. Jude Classic — a year ago and still made it to East Lake for the Tour Championship.
Rory McIlroy, Wife Erica, Celebrate in Style at Wimbledon