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Rory McIlroy has no concerns about heading out to the Middle East for the DP World Tour Play-Offs if local government says it’s safe to travel.
McIlroy started his BMW PGA Championship campaign with a 69 at Wentworth as the DP World Tour enters the closing stretch of the season.
Finishing off the season will be the two events in the Middle East – the Abu Dhabi Championship followed by the DP World Tour Championship.
Matt Fitzpatrick raised a few concerns about those two events given the poximity to the war in Iran, but McIlroy doesn’t share those worries about traveling to the area.
“Not for me,” McIlroy said about any Middle East concerns, after his opening round at Wentworth. “If the local governments feel like it’s safe to put on these events, they are not going to put their citizens or people visiting in harm’s way, I imagine.
“I love the Middle East. I have a lot of friends there, and I’m looking forward to going back for sure.”
Open champion Ryan Fox was another play to have some reservations about the Middle East in the current situation.
“Obviously there are some concerns,” said Fox. “I’m obviously of the opinion that the Tour is doing their due diligence. If they feel like it’s safe for us to go, I’m willing to support that.
“But I can understand, also, why guys have some reservations. I’ll keep monitoring it. If I feel like it’s not the right decision, I might not go but at this point I trust the Tour’s decision in that regard.”
McIlroy will head to the Middle East chasing a record-equalling eighth Race To Dubai title, but has Patrick Reed currently standing in his way.
The American increased his lead at the top of the standings by finishing runner-up behind Shane Lowry at the Amgen Irish Open while McIlroy faded back into 41st.
McIlroy insists there are good signs in his game though, as highlighted by him shooting 60 in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am on Wednesday.
“I wish it was on a Thursday and not on a Wednesday,” McIlroy said of that round. “But yeah, look, I played well.
“I think any time you play like that, whether it’s in practice or a competitive round, you have to take some confidence from it. I saw some putts going in. I felt better with the putter than I did last week.
“I brought that feeling for the most part into today and a bit disappointed with the way I finished. But still a good score to build on and some very good signs in the game.”
McIlroy made a flying start to his first round at Wentworth going five under in 10 holes, but two late bogeys saw him finish what he thinks is a couple of shots short of what his play deserved.
“Good way to put it, a stumble home,” he said. “There was a lot of good stuff in there, 5-under through 10.
“I wish I was standing here a couple of shots better. That’s what I will I feel should be, but overall, I saw some good signs in my game and saw some putts go in which was encouraging compared to last week. Definitely a score to build on as the week goes on.”