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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McIlroy Undergoes Laser Surgery

Rory McIlroy, who last month declared his ambition to make the “next 10, 15 years my time”, has undergone laser eye surgery to sharpen his vision.

The 26-year-old, who has relied on contact lenses throughout his career so far, shared a photo of himself online wearing protective goggles following the surgery, writing: “Human version of the dreaded K-9 cone … Only for sleeping though! Laser eye surgery went well yesterday.”

After winning his third Race to Dubai crown in four years in November, the Northern Irishman set out his ambitions, saying: “This is my time to capitalise on my career. The next 10, 15 years is my time.

“I really can’t be doing silly things like playing football in the middle of the season to jeopardise even six months of my career. It’s a big chunk where I could make some hay and win a major or two. I won’t be making those mistakes again.

“I want to try and get healthy and get stronger again, get my body back … I am really going to concentrate on that.”

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Q School Stressful - Paul Dunne

Paul Dunne has confessed that he found the final round of Qualifying School more stressful than his Open adventure earlier this year.

The Wicklow man was famously tied for the Open lead going into the final round before falling down the order at St Andrews in July.

Ahead of the last round of European Tour qualifying in Girona today, Dunne sat in 12th knowing that the top 25 plus ties would collect a card for next season.

After finishing tied for 13th spot, the 22-year-old told RTÉ 2fm’s Game on: “It’s different. You’ve to finish in the top 25 this week, you’re just trying to do as well as you can.

“But then going into today was a bit weird because I was in 12th. 

“You don’t know whether to try to push on and go forward or play more conservative and just to try stay in the top 25 so it’s a different mindset.

“It was a difficult one for me to really know how to think about how I want to play.

“Mentally, it was more difficult to know what to take on and what not to. It played a lot of mind games with me.

“This one was probably more stressful and the other one [The Open] was more exciting.”

“This one was probably more stressful and the other one was more exciting"

Qualifying School consisted of 14 rounds, including six this week and the Greystones man admitted the schedule was taking its toll.

“[I’m] wrecked, to the honest,” he said before revealing he plans to play in South Africa and Australia in the next fortnight. 

“The first five rounds weren’t too bad but today was quite stressful, start to finish, just trying to get through the line.

“It’s great, it’s been a long few months trying to get through so I’m glad it’s finally over.

“If you looked at it simply, all I had to do was finish in the top 20 three in tournaments in a row.

"When you break it down and put it in a simpler term it seems a lot more achievable.

“I knew if I played well for three weeks I’d get through without much hassle but the last few stages were a bit more stressful than I would have liked.

“I played well around the tougher courses, the tougher courses suited me more. I was delighted to finally get over the line.”

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Open Star Dunne Turns Pro

Paul Dunne, who was joint leader after the third round of this year's Open Championship, has turned professional.

The 22-year-old Dubliner began the final round at St Andrews in a share of the lead, looking to become the first golfer from the unpaid ranks to win the Claret Jug since Bobby Jones in 1930.

A six-over 78 saw him drop down the leaderboard to such an extent he did not evenwin the Silver Medal for top amateur, but it was soon made clear he would turn professional after September's Walker Cup.

And, having sunk the decisive putt as Great Britain and Ireland regained the Walker Cup in comprehensive fashion at Royal Lytham earlier this month, he took to Twitter on Tuesday to retweet a post from management company @4sportsworld which read: 

" Irishman Paul Dunne has announced he has signed a long term,exclusive representation contract with @4sportsworld! 

Welcome to the team @dunners11."

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