Rory McIlroy recently opened up about the most anticipated tournaments of the year at The Match. For the upcoming edition of the biannual made-for-TV event, the current World No. 3 will team with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to take on LIV rivals Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
Since the inception of LIV Golf, it will be the first time that PGA Tour players and LIV players will compete in a head-to-head match. The Match has already garnered attention, piquing fans’ interest. Although there is still time before the event, Rory McIlroy was recently asked about the exciting tournament during a press conference at the 2024 Amgen Irish Open.
The Northern Irish golfer is preparing to compete at this week’s DP World Tour event on his home soil, starting September 12. He attended a press conference on September 11, and when asked about his upcoming match with the LIV rivals, McIlroy said (via ASAP Sports):
“I wouldn’t say it’s meant to send a message. It’s more we wanted to do something that, I guess, all golf fans could get excited about. You’ve got the best player in the world. You’ve got two guys in Bryson and Brooks that have won majors in the last two years. You’ve got me in there who — I haven’t done what those guys have done the last couple years but I’ve definitely been I feel one of the best players in the world.
“It’s a way to show golf fans in the world that this is what could happen or these are the possibilities going forward. I’ve been saying this for a long time. I think golf and golf fans get to see us together more than four times a year,” he added.
The Match is one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year. It was started in 2018 and takes place twice a year.
Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka have been part of the entertainment series during its previous editions and even tasted victories in the game. However, this will be Scottie Scheffler’s first outing.
DeChambeau has played in the event twice, in the fifth and sixth editions in 2021. In his debut event, he paired up with renowned NFL player Aaron Rodgers to play against six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson and NFL star Tom Brady. The 2024 U.S. Open winner emerged victorious in his debut tournament.
In the same year, during the sixth edition of The Match, DeChambeau had a one-on-one against Brooks Koepka. However, it was Koepka who won the event on his debut.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has also been part of The Match twice. He made his debut against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in 2022, teaming up with Tiger Woods. However, he lost the tournament. The four-time Major winner again played in The Match earlier this year in a mixed-field event consisting of Max Homa, Lexi Thompson, and Rose Zhang, and finally, McIlroy won the event.
A look into Rory McIlroy’s schedule for 2024
This week, McIlroy will play at the Amgen Irish Open, which will start with its first round on September 12 at Royal County Down Golf Club. Next, he will compete at the BMW PGA Championship from September 19 to 22, and then from October 3 to 6 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
McIlroy is also slated to compete at the DP World Tour Championship from November 14 to 17 before The Match, which will take place in mid-December.
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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer
