The Arizona Republic

McIlroy to make his Phoenix Open debut

- Tim Schmitt

There’s no rest for Rory McIlroy when it comes to the opening stretch of the 2021 calendar year — or at least not much.

After a 10-week hiatus immediatel­y following the Masters, McIlroy’s team has confirmed to Golfweek that he’ll make his first-ever appearance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February, meaning he’s committed to play seven events in an 8-week stretch.

This will mark McIlroy’s debut at the event long referred to as the People’s Open, but he’s used the event at TPC Scottsdale as a model for the Irish Open when he was helping to build that into a more relevant tournament.

Meanwhile, McIlroy had the lead last weekend in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championsh­ip but struggled to an even-par 72 on Sunday, giving Tyrrell Hatton a path to the title.

“I don’t feel like I played great this week, I felt I was managing my game a bit,” McIlroy said after Abu Dhabi. “It’s nice to get a competitiv­e week under my belt, know where my game is and see what I have to do to keep improving.”

McIlroy, who has fallen to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking and the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, failed to win in 2020, but was in the top 10 in both the U.S. Open and the Masters. He’ll play again this week at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines before heading to Phoenix, then take a single week off before playing four straight events, finishing with The Players Championsh­ip.

McIlroy will also play the WGC-Dell Technologi­es Match Play in Austin, Texas, as well as the Masters, meaning he will have played nine times in a dozen weeks.

Tim Schmitt is managing editor of Golfweek/USA Today Network.

Chip shots

● The Phoenix Open field is shaping up. Recent commitment­s have come in from former world No. 1 Jason Day, 2018 champion Gary Woodland, world No. 16 Harris English, 2014 FedExCup champion Billy Horschel and three-time PGA Tour winner Brendon Todd.

Also, rising tour stars Will Zalatoris and Davis Riley will receive the second and third of five available sponsor exemptions. Tournament chairman Scott Jenkins and the Thunderbir­ds have a total of five exemptions to award; the first went to European Ryder Cup captain and three-time major champion Padraig Harrington.

● Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, and Grammy Award-winning country music star Darius Rucker are the latest celebritie­s who will be participat­ing in the Annexus ProAm on Feb. 3. Other celebritie­s already committed include Larry Fitzgerald, Rob Riggle, Gerina Piller and Alexandra O’Laughlin.

 ?? ROB SCHUMACHER/USA TODAY SPORTS ?? Rory McIlroy will play seven tournament­s in an eight-week stretch, and that includes the Phoenix Open in February.
ROB SCHUMACHER/USA TODAY SPORTS Rory McIlroy will play seven tournament­s in an eight-week stretch, and that includes the Phoenix Open in February.

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