Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

The Canadian Open returns this week to Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the first time since McIlroy’s 2019 victory in the tournament.

The Northern Irishman, who fell to world number three following Xander Schauffele’s PGA Championship victory this month, did not play last week but will be in action in each of the next four tournaments, a run that includes the US Open at Pinehurst next month.

“I certainly switched off,” said the 35-year-old.

“I went to one of my best friend’s weddings in Italy for four days, which was a lot of fun, good to see a lot of people from home I haven’t seen in a long time. Yeah, it was actually a really good trip, I needed it.

“Then I had a lovely break, I had a great weekend at home. Spent time with my family and with Poppy [McIlroy’s daughter] and, yeah, it was awesome.”

McIlroy, whose second-place finish last year at the US Open was his best since winning it in 2011, said he “needed that reset”.

“I’m playing four weeks in a row here, so, yeah, I’m ready to go, but, yeah, it’s been a busy stretch and I’m sort of easing my way back into it,” the 35-year-old said.

“I probably hit a grand total of probably 150 balls last week. So, not that I feel rusty, I feel like I’ve played enough golf to keep myself ticking over, but, yeah, last week was a good week to just reset and sort of start again.”

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