McIlroy back to Canada to prepare US Open

The past seven weeks have been very busy for the now world number 3.

Indeed, Rory McIlroy hadn’t really “taken a break” before arriving in Kentucky for the second Major of the season.

Rory McIlory, results

The Northern Irishman had a packed schedule, with consecutive appearances at the Valero Texas Open, Masters, RBC Heritage, Zurich Classic, Wells Fargo Championship, and then the PGA Championship.

The only tournament he didn’t compete in over the two months was the CJ CUP Byron Nelson following his victory alongside Shane Lowry in the team event in New Orleans.

Next up, McIlroy’s schedule remains hectic as he will tee it up at the Canadian Open next Thursday, followed by the Memorial Tournament in Ohio the following week, before heading to Pinehurst in North Carolina to compete in the third Major of the season, the US Open from June 13 to 16.

His series of tournaments won’t stop there as Rory McIlroy is also scheduled to participate in the 8th and final Signature Event of the season, the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut!

With this, his tournament count since the start of the season will reach fifteen!

Despite his busy golfing schedule, McIlroy’s personal life has also been turbulent, with a divorce proceeding from Erica Stoll, the mother of his daughter, underway. The triple FedEx Cup winner needed a breather.

He decided to leave the USA for his native Northern Ireland to reconnect with his roots for a few days.

This “break” also took him to Pisa, Italy.

He was born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, where he attended Sullivan Upper School. He belongs to Holywood Golf Club, where he began his early training under the guidance of Michael Bannon, a coach he has remained with to this day.

McIlroy was part of the winning team at the Junior Ryder Cup in 2004, and in 2005, he became the youngest winner of both Irish tournaments, the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship.

Also in 2005, at the North of Ireland Championship held at The Royal Portrush, he set the course record with a 61 at the age of 16, a record still unbeaten in 2019 during The Open Championship, also held at The Royal Portrush.

In August 2006, he won the stage of the European Amateur Championship held at Golf Club Le Betulle in Biella, Piedmont, with a score of 274 (65-69-72-68), 3 shots better than Englishman Stephen Lewton.

In October 2006, he represented Ireland at the Eisenhower Trophy and the Amateur World Team Championship.

On February 6, 2007, he became the second man to top the World Amateur Golf Rankings, although he then lost the lead after just one week.

McIlroy shot an opening round of 68, 3 under par, at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, which put him in provisional third place, three shots behind the leader. In the same opening round, he was the only player on the course to finish without a single bogey. In the second round, he shot 5 over par, putting him at +2 overall, but still made the cut for the third round. In the third round, he finished 2 over par, and in the fourth, 1 over par, ending in 42nd place, the best among amateurs.

McIlroy was part of the Great Britain & Ireland team at the 2007 Walker Cup.

His first appearance on the European Tour dates back to the 2005 British Masters, just days after turning sixteen. He made the cut for the first time at a European Tour event at the age of seventeen, at the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic, where he also had to forfeit the €7,600 prize due to his amateur status.