Rory McIlroy Submits European Tour Membership

Earlier this year, Rory McIlroy caused a stir when he suggested giving up membership of the European Tour and focussing primarily on his career in America, but it has been reported that the Northern Irishman submitted his membership application before the May deadline and will add events to his schedule during the remainder of 2019, providing a boost to the circuit and ensuring that he will be eligible for Padraig Harrington's Ryder Cup team next September.

Responding to reports that he was not going to join for this season, in January, the four-time major champion said in typically candid fashion: "The European Tour is a stepping stone. That is the truth. It’s so one-sided. Look, you can talk about all these bigger events in Europe, but you can go to America and play for more money and more world ranking points...Why would you play over there?"

Despite the veracity of that argument, those comments didn't endear the former world number one to everyone, and there had been talks with tour chief executive Keith Pelley, desperate to ensure his biggest name star would compete in the Rolex Series. 

Now, fortunately for the Canadian and the recipient tournaments, McIlroy will make appearances in Europe.

The Daily Telegraph's James Corrigan reports that the 30-year-old, recent winner of The Players Championship, will compete in the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in July, the Omega European Masters in Switzerland in late August, and will most likely enter the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, this season adopting its new date of September. Requiring four events - in addition to the majors and World Golf Championships - the finale at the DP World Tour Championship makes considerable sense.

It's a shot in the arm for those events and their sponsors, with McIlroy's star quality being undiminished as he looks to follow that success at Sawgrass with his first major championship victory in five years. 

Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography