McIlroy plans busy schedule leading to the Masters

EIGHT IS ENOUGH

DOUG FERGUSON Rory McIlroy took off the final three months of the year to heal his body and clear his mind, and he appears eager to get back to work.

With a series of announcements over the last week, McIlroy revealed what likely will be his most ambitious schedule ahead of Augusta National in the 10 years he has been eligible for the Masters.

The most McIlroy has ever played before the Masters was seven tournaments — in 2009, the first year he was eligible for all four majors, and in 2016. Next year, he is planning to play eight.

Coming off his first winless year since 2008, McIlroy will start the new season with two tournaments in the U.A.E. (in Abu Dhabi and Dubai) before he embarks on a busy PGA Tour schedule. He is playing the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the first time, followed by the Genesis Open at Riviera and a third straight week at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., not far from where he lives.

Most peculiar about McIlroy’s schedule is that he is skipping the World Golf Championship in Mexico City and instead will play the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook for the first time, and then play the following week at Bay Hill. That’s two tournaments he has never played, and three courses (two at the Pebble Beach ProAm) he will have to learn.

His manager said McIlroy also would play the Dell Match Play in Austin, Texas, where two years ago he reached the semifinals.

That means McIlroy will play three straight weeks (Pebble, Riviera, Honda), take a week off, then another three weeks in a row (Valspar, Bay Hill, Match Play) and then have a week off before the Masters.

Meanwhile, the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper reports that McIlroy’s best friend Harry Diamond will remain as his caddy. McIlroy split with J.P. Fitzgerald after the British Open, and Diamond worked for him the rest of the year.

LAST CHANCE: Brandt Snedeker flew halfway around the world to play in the Indonesian Masters. He hopes it can lead to an invitation to that other Masters.

Snedeker is No. 51 in the world, and this is the last tournament available for him to play. The top 50 at the end of the year earn a spot in the field at Augusta National. Snedeker, who missed five months with a sternum injury, will have plenty of competition beyond Justin Rose.

Four other players have hopes to get into the top 50 — Satoshi Kodaira (No. 50), Dylan Frittelli (No. 55), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (No. 56) and Yusaku Miyazato (No. 58).

For those who don’t make it, Augusta National also takes the top 50 in the world from the March 25 ranking.

GARCIA AWARDS: A green jacket, a bride, a baby on the way and now the awards are starting to cap off a memorable year for Sergio Garcia.

The Masters champion was selected as the European Tour golfer of the year, the first time he has won the award. Garcia won three times this year, including the Dubai Desert Classic and the Andalucia Masters, to go along with his first major championship at Augusta National.

The award was decided by a panel consisting of golf media.

“This is an amazing honour,” Garcia said. “I think both on and off the golf course, it has been a unique and unbelievable year, and one that I will definitely remember my whole life.”

The U.K.-based Association of Golf Writers also honoured Garcia with its Golf Writers Trophy.