Rory McIlroy was one of the standout performers for Team Europe at the 2025 Ryder Cup, but he will not be in action at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week
Rory McIlroy will be noticeably absent from the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland this week, part of the DP World Tour.
The Northern Irish golfer was a key player for Team Europe as they trounced Team USA in the first two days of the 2025 Ryder Cup. McIlroy racked up three and a half points for his team, helping them secure an 11.5 to 4.5 lead going into the singles.
Despite a spirited comeback from the Americans, it was Team Europe who clinched the cup for the second consecutive time with a final score of 15-13. Less than a week after this triumph, several members of Team Europe will be competing on the DP World Tour for a $5 million prize pot, but McIlroy won’t be among them.
The tournament, a fixture on the European Tour since 2001, was won last year by Tyrrell Hatton. Fresh off his two-putt victory at the Ryder Cup on Sunday, he’ll be jetting back across the Atlantic to defend his title.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship takes place at three legendary links courses in Scotland: the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, reports the Mirror US.
Robert MacIntyre, who contributed a half-point at Bethpage Black to extend Europe’s winning margin to three, will also be teeing off in his home country. He’s aiming to become the first Scot to win the title since 2005.
Tommy Fleetwood, the recipient of the 2025 Nicklaus-Jacklin Award, is also returning to action and holds the course record at Carnoustie. Fleetwood shot a 63 there in 2017 and has twice been a runner-up in this event.
Joining Hatton on the course is another former champion who played a crucial role in the Ryder Cup, Matt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick clinched both the individual and team titles in 2023, with his mum, Susan, by his side.
However, McIlroy won’t be teeing off alongside these Team Europe colleagues in Scotland, as he’s long maintained a pared-down schedule. According to The Sunday Times Rich List, his estimated net worth currently sits at a whopping $346M, a figure that won’t be seeing a boost from any Scottish tournaments.
When quizzed about his schedule in late 2024, McIlroy admitted: “It’s been a long season and I’m going to just have to think about trying to build in a few extra breaks here and there next year and going forward.
“I’m usually sort of like a 22 (events a year) sort of person. But again, that was when I was sort of in my 20s and didn’t have the responsibilities that I do now. I’m going to try to cut it back to like 18 or 20 a year going forward, I think.”
Earlier this month, he added: “At this point I want to play golf when I want to play golf. I want to play in the locations that I love to go to, and I want to play the majors and the Ryder Cup. That’s it.
“I’m not going to be going by minimums or anything else. I’ll obviously do my bit to make sure I keep my membership and all that on certain tours, but I’m going to play where I want to play.
“I want to go and play in different places in the world and experience things that I haven’t experienced before. Going to India to play for the first time, that excites me. I don’t want to name a tournament, but you’re going back to the same place, the same thing 15, 20 years in a row, it can get a little bit monotonous and a little bit tedious.”
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