Rory McIlroy is looking forward to seeing golf take its place at โthe centre of the sports worldโ as the PGA Tour returns from its three-month suspension.
The Northern Irishman will tee up at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday as a star-studded field looks to mark the resumption from lockdown in style.
Each of the worldโs top five players will be at Colonial Country Club, with number one McIlroy starting in a mouth-watering group alongside second-placed Jon Rahm and third-ranked Brooks Koepka in what should provide a spectacle fit for the occasion.
โI think this week is very important because golf will be the centre of the sports world, which it usually is (just) a few weeks a year,โ he said.
โFor people to have something to watch on TV where they actually donโt know the outcome I think is going to be nice for them. Iโm excited. Iโm excited to be back on the road and doing what Iโm supposed to do: play golf and compete.โ
McIlroy believes his sport is perfectly suited to the new circumstances imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, but asked for patience as those involved take their first steps into a new environment.
โI think itโs an important week because golf can show that we can play in a socially distant manner. We can conduct a tournament and adhere to all the safety protocols that have been put in place,โ he said.
โIt is going to be very easy to fall back into old habits because itโs just what weโve done. Iโd say for the viewing public just to give the players and the caddies a little bit of leeway in terms of if they see something on TV that isnโt quite right.โ
McIlroy went on to suggest that the recent sense of co-operation between those involved at the highest level could lead to more dramatic structural changes such as a merger between the PGA and European Tour.
โIf anything, I think this pandemic has highlighted the fact that the game of golf at the highest level needs to be simplified,โ he said.
โI think itโs opened some peopleโs eyes up to the fact that we can all sort of work a little bit better together in this world. Thereโs too many funnels, thereโs too many channels.
โI think for the health of both toursโฆa โworld tourโ is something Iโve always wanted, but it has to be done the right way. Iโve sort of been calling for it for a while.
โWhether itโs some European Tour events offering FedExCup points and some PGA TOUR events offering Race to Dubai points, I donโt know, but just a little bit more cohesion.โ
Y'all Get Ready! Golf returns to Fort Worth tomorrow! Tune in to see all your favorite players. @HogeGolf #VisitFW #schwabchallenge #ThankYouFortWorth pic.twitter.com/USAIb2clp1
— Charles Schwab Challenge (@CSChallengeFW) June 10, 2020
Koepka made no secret of the fact he is looking to unseat McIlroy, adding an extra competitive element to their initial outing alongside Rahm.
โIโve got eyes on Rory,โ said Koepka. โThatโs the goal, to get back to number one in the world. Thatโs the whole point of playing: to be the best.
โIf I take care of my business, then I donโt see any reason why I couldnโt get back to that.โ
There will be no play at 8.46am, with a momentโs silence held in honour of George Floyd, who prosecutors claim was knelt on and killed by police for eight minutes and 46 seconds in Minneapolis last month, prompting widespread civil unrest.
The move has found widespread support, with Koepka describing it as โreally specialโ, Jordan Spieth calling for the idea to be extended โhowever long we need toโ and McIlroy praising โa wonderful gestureโ.