McIlroy Skips WGC-Bridgestone

Rory McIlroy will miss the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational this summer after choosing instead to play in the 100th French Open at Le Golf National.

The two tournaments clash as a result of the PGA Tour's 2016 calendar being re-worked to accommodate the Olympics.

As a result of the scheduling conflict the European Tour refused to sanction the WGC event, which 26-year-old McIlroy won in Akron two years ago.

He believes the course in Paris will better prepare him for The Open.

The French Open starts on Le Golf National's exacting Albatros course - which will host the 2018 Ryder Cup - on 30 June, two weeks before the year's third major begins on the Ayrshire links of Royal Troon.

"Le Golf National might not be a pure links course, but it is traditionally firm and fast and can throw up some tricky conditions," said the Northern Irishman.

"It is a great test of golf and I think playing there, as well as staying in Europe, will be the best way to prepare for The Open at Troon."

Four-time major winner McIlroy has played in the event on the outskirts of Paris twice before, missing the cut in his first full season as a professional in 2008 before firing a closing 66 to miss out on a three-man play-off by one shot in 2010.

The European Tour's decision not to the sanction the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational means it is not part of the 2016 European Tour international schedule, and therefore money won in it will not count towards the Race to Dubai or Ryder Cup qualification.

The Bridgestone Invitational is one of four World Golf Championship events jointly sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the European Tour and the PGA Tour in America.

Since the advent of the WGCs in 1999, the Bridgestone Invitational has been played in August at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

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Master Willett Plans More Titles

Danny Willett - Getty Images

Winning the Masters is a "fantastic start" to achieving "special things" in golf, says Danny Willett.

The Yorkshireman, 28, is the first European winner at Augusta since 1999 and only the fourth British champion.

"It's a great feeling and hopefully one we can have many more times," said Willett of his first major victory.

Willett's manager Chubby Chandler said the golfer could win another major this year and become number one in the world "without any doubt".

Carding a final-round five-under-par 67, the Englishman took advantage of defending champion Jordan Spieth dropping six shots in three holes.

The last European to win at Augusta was Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, while the only other British champions have been Nick Faldo (1989, 1990, 1996), Sandy Lyle (1988) and Ian Woosnam (1991).

Chandler said Willett, a 2007 Walker Cup team-mate of three-time major winner Rory McIlroy, could "become one of the greats of his time".

"He won't be distracted. He knows exactly what he's trying to do. Winning the Masters is the start of the journey, not the end of the journey," said Chandler.

"He knows exactly how many majors Rory has won and he will want to get up there and past Rory's tally. If you take Tiger Woods out, what is the next best tally of majors among current players? Phil Mickeslon with five."

The former English amateur champion turned professional in 2008, but his progress has been slower than others of his generation, such as McIlroy, Spieth and Rickie Fowler, with ongoing back problems halting his progress.

But Chandler revealed that the vicar's son, once the top-ranked amateur golfer in the world, carefully managed his back problems and used his father, Steve, as a psychologist.

"He had his trainer in Augusta and he's got a terrible back, so once a month he has a check-up, and then he goes on and does his thing properly," he said.

"He works so hard in the gym, partly because of his back and because he wants to, so he will be here for a long time."

Willett, who described his victory on Sunday as "surreal", admitted he is not yet at the level of world number three McIlroy, 26, and world number two Spieth, 22.

"They've obviously achieved a good bit more than me. I've still got a bit of a way to go to be up there with those boys," added Willett, who moves to ninth in the world rankings after his Augusta win.

"But it is a fantastic start in the right direction of doing pretty special things in big tournaments.

"I'm just looking forward to being in that illustrious group of major winners, making sure I move forward in my game and seeing what else I can achieve."

Facts - Danny Willett

The son of a vicar, he was born on 3 October, 1987 in Sheffield

Left school at 16 but later attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama on a golfing scholarship

Won the 2007 English Amateur Championship and in early 2008 became the world's top-ranked amateur

Turned professional in 2008 and clinched his first European Tour victory at the 2012 BMW International Open in Germany

Won twice on the European Tour in the 2015 season and made his Masters debut where he finished tied 38th

Captured his fourth European Tour victory at the Dubai Desert Classic in February 2016

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Rory McIlroy is Back

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy has confirmed he will defend his US PGA Championship this week and says his ankle is "100 per cent" ready.

The world No 1 has declared himself fully fit and will tee-up at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin having not played a competitive round since June 21.

The 26-year-old has been sidelined since rupturing ligaments in his left ankle while playing football with friends in early July.

Subsequently, McIlroy was forced to sidestep the Scottish Open, the 144th Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but after playing a practice round at Whistling Straits on Saturday says he is ready for his title defence.

He said: "To play golf my ankle's 100 per cent. To go back on a soccer pitch, it wouldn't be quite ready. But to do what I need to do this week, it's 100 per cent.

"It actually feels better when I go at it as hard as I want because my left foot sort of spins out of the way whenever I hit the driver anyway.

"If my left foot was to stay completely flat, like roll on to the left side like a lot of guys do, then it would obviously create a few problems.

“Because mine sort of spins out of the way, it takes a lot of pressure off it."

Since the injury, McIlroy has spent time in Portugal and he hopes he will be competitive enough to force his way into contention on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier this year he took seven weeks off before returning to action to finish second in the Desert Swing.

He added: "I think it's just the competitiveness of feeling what it's like to play a tournament.

"It's OK coming back to play Abu Dhabi as your first week back, but playing a major, it's a bit different.

"Just that sharpness and competitive edge, that's the thing you really hope is there when you come back."

And if McIlroy requires reassurances, then he needs to remember the achievement of Tiger Woods in 2008 when the American won the US Open at Torrey Pines having not teed-up since the Masters two months earlier.

McIlroy also admitted he was able to practice his short game while wearing a protective boot on his injured ankle. He told the Daily Mail: "I've been chipping and putting basically since it happened, with my protective boot on.

"I did think about coming back last week at the Bridgestone but Steve (McGregor, his fitness coach) held me back.

“He thought it important for me to basically play a tournament behind closed doors and after I completed that successfully, it felt the right time to come."

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