New dad Rory has play date
Star will tee it up for FedEx finale
RORY McILROY will bid to make it a week to remember as he chases an £11.3million prize fresh from a priceless one – becoming a father.
The defending FedEx Cup champion yesterday confirmed his wife Erica gave birth to Poppy Kennedy McIlroy at 12.15pm on Monday in Florida.
Today he will begin the defence of his Tour Championship title in Atlanta, the climax to the FedEx Cup play-offs the world No.4 came out on top in last year.
McIlroy, who arrived at East Lake yesterday, will walk on to the first tee already seven shots behind Dustin Johnson given the handicap system now used for the PGA Tour’s blockbuster season finale.
But the Northern Irishman admits vying for the most lucrative prize in golf stands to be relaxing after being plunged in at the deep end as a father. On how he is, he said: “Emotionally drained, right.
“We got her home on Wednesday and are trying to get her settled. It’s nice in the hospital. You’ve got so much help, all the nurses are around and they did a phenomenal job. “Then you’re handed your child and they’re like, ‘See you later’ – and they don’t come with an instruction manual. There are a lot of different things and a lot of things that run through your head. “The fact that all that went well and everyone is good g and recovering at home, hom I feel more comfortable now that I can come out her here, play golf and maybe get my mind off it for four or five ho hours a day. And that’s a n nice thing.” McIlroyMcIl only revealedreveal his wife was pregnant last week as he teed up in Illinois Ill and said s he’d be b straight ofo f the course if a call came through that she was in labour.
Johnson will start today on 10 under courtesy of leading the FedEx standings, with playing partner Jon Rahm teeing up two shots behind the world No.1.
As for his words of advice for McIlroy, father-of-two DJ said: “Once you have a family, golf is definitely not the most important.
“It’s your family. They’re by far the most important. It just puts things in perspective.”
Justin Thomas starts on seven under, Webb Simpson on six and newly-crowned US PGA champion Collin Morikawa on five.
The remainder of the 30 players – missing Tiger Woods, who failed to qualify – will be on a sliding scale down to level par.
Johnson added: “It’s not like I’ve got a two-shot lead going into the final round – I’ve still got four rounds to play. I’m still going to have to play some really good golf for four days if I want to be a FedEx Cup champion.”
Connor Syme sits in a fourway tie for the lead after 18 holes of the Andalucia Masters. The Scot, seeking a first European Tour win, birdied the final three holes for a two-under 69 at Valderrama.