After an up-and-down Sunday at The Open, attention has turned to what’s next for some of golf’s star names. There was a first-time major winner at Royal Birkdale as Ryan Fox finished one stroke clear of Cameron Young to lift the claret jug. After European winners at the Masters and PGA Championship and victory for American pro Wyndham Clark at the US Open, Fox gave the southern hemisphere a first major of the year.
Masters champion McIlroy was unable to claim another big win, while other stars underwhelmed. The Northern Irishman’s future plans have come into focus and he isn’t the only one. The golfing calendar is far from over, with plenty more tournaments on the horizon, though it looks as though there could be some absentees in the coming weeks. Here’s the latest from some of the sport’s big-hitters.
McIlroy doesn’t beat around the bush
McIlroy doesn’t plan to move away from his scaled-back schedule this year, confirming he will sit out the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The tournament is set to get up and running on August 13 in Tennessee, and the multiple major winner openly admitted that his drive for Tour events is not what it once was.
“I think it just sort of ebbs and flows,” he said. “There’s been years where I’ve given it maybe more of my attention and years that I haven’t. Yeah, I guess I’m just at a stage that I have other things that I prioritise.
“Again, the PGA Tour is in a lot of flux at the minute with a lot of their schedule and structure and everything like that. So I think the change where it doesn’t matter where you are in the top 30 going into the Tour Championship, it’s like I just need to be in the top 30 going in there to have a chance to win a FedExCup.
“So why would I care about the first two? I sort of came to that decision last year, and I’m just sort of doing the same thing.”
Fitzpatrick to step away
Alex Fitzpatrick has decided he needs to recharge his batteries following a deeply disappointing end to his weekend at The Open. The 27-year-old was flying high at the halfway stage, only to tumble down the leaderboard after shooting a 73 and 77 on his final two rounds.
“It was c***. No two ways about it. My putting was woeful,” said Fitzpatrick, whose brother Matt was also playing at Royal Birkdale but missed the cut.
“I thought some of the pins yesterday were terrible, just brutally honest. And, yeah, mixed with me not playing very good at all, that’s what it is.”
He then made it clear he didn’t want to rush back out onto the course. “No, I’m having two weeks off,” he added. “I’m putting the clubs away and having a good reset and actually enjoy my life.”