Rory McIlroy has admitted he cannot contain his excitement ahead of this week’s star-studded Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation, and the World Number One is desperate to turn around his recent fortunes at his home event.
The Northern Irishman returns to home soil for an event which will be even closer to his heart than usual this year as his charity foundation plays host to some of the biggest names in world golf at Royal County Down - renowned as one of the finest courses on the planet.
McIlroy’s input has played a huge part in the tournament attracting the likes of American Rickie Fowler, Germany’s Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia of Spain and South African Ernie Els, an all-star line-up which has helped make the event a complete sell-out for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The 26 year old says it is up there beside the Majors on his list of most important tournaments of the year and he is keen to put on a show for the home crowds.
“I’m so excited for this tournament,” said McIlroy, who played on this course for the 2007 Walker Cup. “Obviously the Irish Open is a tournament that’s close to my heart.
“Now that I’m involved with my foundation hosting the event, and with the title sponsors Dubai Duty Free and all the players coming to play Royal County Down, it’s going to be a great week and I just hope I can put on a good performance for all the fans back home. I haven’t been as excited for a golf tournament this year, apart from the Masters for obvious reasons.
“Royal County Down is probably rated as one of the top five golf courses in the world and with all the players – Rickie Fowler coming off the back of his win at the Players, Sergio Garcia who was in that play-off, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Shane Lowry, myself and so many other good players coming – it’ll be great.
“I haven’t really played well in the Irish Open and that’s something that hasn’t sat well with me for a few years. I think it’s to do with maybe trying to hard when you get back home and you maybe push yourself too much. I’m just going to try and enjoy myself this year and relish the opportunity to play at home. It would be great to win obviously and I’ll be trying my best out there.”
With his charitable foundation hosting the event, McIlroy is preparing for a very busy week off the course, but he believes he will not be distracted and once he steps up on the first tee on Thursday, his focus will be on only one thing – adding the Irish Open title to his trophy cabinet.
“I feel like I’ve found a nice balance between what I’m doing on the course and what I’m doing off the course and even in weeks like this where you go to evening functions and try and help as much as you can to put on a great event,” he said. “There are a lot of obligations next week but that shouldn’t get in the way of me going out there and playing good golf.
“Hosting the event with my foundation gave me an incentive to go back. I’m not doing it for myself, I wanted to do something to help and I think that if my performance and my involvement in the Irish Open can help other people, that would be great and that’s the reason I wanted to do it.
“I’m delighted that we’re going to raise a lot of money for a lot of kids who need it so that will add to what will be a great week.”
The field comprises five current or former players who have reached the top of the Official World Golf Ranking – McIlroy, Donald, Els, Kaymer and Westwood – and eight Major Champions in McIlroy, Els, Kaymer, Clarke, Harrington, McDowell, Paul Lawrie and José Maria Olazábal.
As a result of the strength of the field, the event now carries more Official World Golf Ranking points than ever before while the holders of three of the four ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments will be in the field – Kaymer (US Open) and McIlroy (The Open and US PGA).
More than 80,000 spectators are expected and the final three days have already sold out completely, with only tickets left for Thursday’s play, although they are also expected to sell out prior to the tournament.
