Rory: Prem League is not for me

GOLF: Rory McIlroy has delivered a potentially fatal blow to the proposed Premier Golf League by ruling himself out of joining a breakaway circuit.

Under the proposals outlined in January by the World Golf Group, 48 players would compete in an 18-event season offering a total prize fund of £183 million.

The tournaments would be 54 holes rather than the traditional 72 and there would be an individual and team league format, with the weekly individual winner claiming £1.5m of the £7.5m purse.

To have any chance of success, the PGL would need to have the likes of world No.1 McIlroy and Tiger Woods among its players.

However, McIlroy said: “The more I’ve thought about it the more I don’t like it. The one thing I value is the fact I have autonomy and freedom. I’ve never been one for being told what to do and I like to have that autonomy and freedom over my career and I feel I would give that up by going to play this other league. For me, I’m out.”

McIlroy acknowledges he may have to change his stance if he is the only player against the league, but feels opinion is “very split” between the game’s star names.

MOTORSPORT: Sebastian Vettel withdrew from the opening day of Formula One testing in Barcelona after feeling unwell.

The four-time world champion was due to kick off Ferrari’s pre-season campaign at a sun-soaked Circuit de Catalunya but played no part after reporting flu-like symptoms.

However, he is expected to be back in the car this afternoon. In the German’s absence, six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton struck an early warning by finishing fastest.

The 35-year-old Briton is this year bidding to equal Michael Schumacher’s record with a seventh world championship, and he finished a third-of-asecond clear of Valtteri Bottas in the sister Mercedes.

Red Bull and Max Verstappen are hoping to lead the challenge to Hamilton. The 22-year-old Dutchman ended the day in fourth, 0.540 seconds off Hamilton’s pace. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was 1.3 seconds back in 11th.