Tommy Fleetwood confirms plan as Rory McIlroy urged to take action | Golf | Sport

Following a thrilling Players Championship, anticipation is building ahead of the Masters at Augusta. Matt Fitzpatrick, aiming to become the first Englishman to capture the unofficial ‘fifth major’, held a one-shot advantage on the 17th tee but a par-bogey conclusion proved costly as Cameron Young finished birdie-par to secure the biggest triumph of his career by a single stroke.

Both players capitalised on a final-round implosion from overnight leader Ludvig Aberg, who dropped three shots across two holes after the turn. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy’s title defence proved deeply underwhelming. Having barely made the cut, the Masters champion was forced to accept a tie for 46th. With three more PGA Tour events before the Masters, McIlroy is considering whether to compete again ahead of his Green Jacket defence. Here’s a round-up of the latest golf news…

MacIntyre withdraws from tournament

Next on the PGA Tour schedule is the Valspar Championship in Florida, commencing on Thursday. However, Robert MacIntyre won’t feature at Copperhead despite his impressive showing at The Players, where he secured fourth place, three shots behind Young.

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MacIntyre evidently requires a rest after acknowledging it was “stressful” as he contended for victory on Sunday. He said: “I was actually struggling to eat early in the back nine.

“Middle of that back nine, I really thought I was in with a shout. The way I’m playing, driving it beautifully, putting unbelievable, it was just a matter of getting that ball inside 30 feet and then look out. Just disappointed with the bogeys on the back nine to finish, but I gave it a shot.”

McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood will also skip the Valspar Championship.

Fleetwood announcement

Fleetwood has confirmed he will defend his crown at the DP World India Championship later this year. The world number three claimed the inaugural edition of the event last year following victory over a top-quality field at Delhi Golf Club.

The triumph formed part of an outstanding conclusion to 2025 for Fleetwood, who secured the FedEx Cup and contributed to Europe’s triumph in the Ryder Cup on American soil. He said: “I had an incredible week at the DP World India Championship last season.

“There is so much to enjoy about being in India, from the warmth of the people, the atmosphere in the city, to the food, and playing at such a challenging and strategic course. It was a pleasure to tee it up in the inaugural event as part of such an incredible field, and I look forward to more of the same in October.”

The 2026 event runs from October 15-18.

McIlroy’s big decision

McIlroy may require some competitive action before his defence of the Masters, according to Paul McGinley. Having entered The Players while managing a back problem, the Northern Irishman may not compete again until Augusta.

However, following his disappointing title defence at Sawgrass, McGinley believes he could compete in at least one pre-Masters tournament. The former Ryder Cup captain told Sky Sports: “Now he has got these four rounds done, he can continue his recovery from this back issue and make sure that is done. He can reset himself, take a bit of a break and get some practice for Augusta National.

“Having said that, the fact that he didn’t play well over the weekend has probably put that bit of doubt in his mind that he might need some more competitive rounds under his belt. If he’d have had a strong weekend, I think he would have stuck to his original schedule, but he’s now considering an extra event because he did play poorly.”

The Valspar is followed by the Houston Open and the Texas Open in San Antonio. McGinley believes McIlroy would be more inclined to compete in Houston.