Lowry Heads for County Down

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Shane Lowry “can’t wait” to play at Royal County Down in the Irish Open next week after a very pleasing tied-for-sixth-place finish at BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Three bogey-free rounds saw the Offaly man finish level with Tommy Fleetwood on 11-under par, both ending up 10 shots off runaway winner Byeong Hun An.

The 2009 Irish Open winner says he wants to be in contention next weekend as well.

“I’m really excited about next week now,” he told RTÉ Sport.

“It’s the Irish Open and it’s massive for me. I just can’t wait to get up there. I’m really excited about getting up there and hopefully contending next weekend as well.”

Lowry, 28, finished second at the BMW PGA last year and admitted he has a fondness for the course.

"It’s nice to be back up at the top of the leaderboard and giving myself half a chance"

“It was very pleasing for me to go out and do that on such a tough golf course," he said.

"Obviously, I quite like the place and if I could play 25 tournaments a year on this golf course I would.

"It’s nice to be back up at the top of the leaderboard and giving myself half a chance.

“The leader ran away with it today but going out there this morning I was thinking if I could shoot seven under that I had a chance of winning.

“I played the golf to do that, I just didn’t hole the putts early on...but that’s the way it is, three birdies, no bogeys again, so it was nice.

“It’s always nice [to have a bogey-free round]. The way I play golf I normally make a lot of birdies and throw in a couple of bogeys during the round but it was nice.

“I was in control, my short game was on fire this week, as good as it’s been in a long time, got up and down when I was in trouble. I put myself in a few tricky spots and managed to save pars.”

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McIlroy European Golfer of Year

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Rory McIlroy has been named the 2014 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year after a stunning season on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Northern Irishman won the Race to Dubai and topped the PGA Tour money list, as well as winning the Open Championship and US PGA Championship as he reclaimed the world number one spot.

The 25-year-old also won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, and adds the honour to the Golf Writers Trophy he was awarded last week.

McIlroy also played in all five sessions as Europe won the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, claiming three points as the United States were defeated 16.5-11.5

“To be named the European Tour’s Golfer of the Year for a second time is a huge honour and one I am extremely proud of,” he said.

“If I had won any one of those four titles it would have been a good year, but to win all four, to win The Race to Dubai, and to be part of another fantastic European victory in The Ryder Cup, means it is a great one.

“This award is a very nice way to round off the year. The European Tour has always been good to me, so it is always special to be recognised in this way. Hopefully I can have more years like this one and win the award again.”

The award is decided by a panel comprising members of the Association of Golf Writers and commentators from television and radio and McIlroy has been awarded the honour for the second time after also winning in 2012.

European Tour chief executive George O’Grady said: “The 2014 season will go down as one of the greatest in the European Tour’s history, and it will be defined by Rory McIlroy’s astounding accomplishments on the global stage.

“Europe’s performance to retain The Ryder Cup and Martin Kaymer’s dominant victories in the US Open and Players Championship on the US PGA Tour alone would have made it a year to remember for European golf, but Rory’s victories in four of the biggest championships on our international schedule will ensure the story of this season is retold for many years to come. Quite rightly, therefore, it is Rory who receives our Golfer of the Year Award for 2014.

“Rory is a fine ambassador for the game of golf and a loyal supporter of the European Tour, as he has shown with his backing of the Irish Open next year, so we are all very proud of his success, not only during this year but across his career to date.”

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Rory Suffers Double Ohio Trouble

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Rory McIlroy ended his second day in Dublin, Ohio, signing for a round of 78 at The Memorial Tournament after three consecutive double bogeys by the turn unraveled the advantage of his round of 63 on Thursday.

The BMW PGA Champions feel to earth somewhat having held a three-shot lead over Paul Casey,Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk at the start if the second round.

After starting on the back nine, McIlroy bogeyed the 10th round before parring 11 and picking the shot back up on 12. However then came off as double-bogeys followed on 13, 14 and 15 before two pars and a further bogey saw him reach the turn in 43, now four shots off the lead - a 12-shot swing.

Yesterday over the same stretch Rory picked up two eagles, three birdies and a double bogey to record a 31.

The run for home McIlroy completed in 35 strokes with just one dropped shot at the par 5 fifth hole to end the day 6 strokes over par. A total of 15 shots off his pace on Thursday but at -3 overall still only five off current leaders

Camilo Villegas was the big winner in the early stages, moving into a share of the lead with six birdies and a bogey in his first 14 holes.

Robert Garrigus was also surging up the leaderboard and he sat one shot off the lead with a flawless five birdies through 15.

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Join Rory's Red Devils at PGA

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Rory McIlroy has confirmed that he would be teaming up with three of his footballing heroes at this year’s celebrity Pro-Am, at Wentworth Club on Wednesday May 21 - ahead of the BMW PGA Championship.

The Northern Irishman, one of the most exciting talents in the game, will be putting up a united front alongside Red Devils legends Peter Schmeichel,Teddy Sheringham and current Manchester United coach Phil Neville. All three of the footballers were part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s glorious Treble winning side of 1999.

For McIlroy, who won the US Open in 2011 and US PGA Championship in 2012, playing alongside the United trio is a dream come true, “I’m really looking forward to a round of golf with a few of my Man United heroes, Peter Schmeichel, Teddy Sheringham and Phillip Neville. I believe they have some silky golfing skills, too!” said McIlroy. 

Swapping footballs and gloves for golf balls and clubs, the celebrity Pro-Am will present Schmeichel, Sheringham and Neville with a new sporting challenge; tackling Wentworth Club’s iconic West Course in front of thousands of fans.

Speaking ahead of the Pro-Am, Neville said: “What an opportunity, to play in the BMW PGA celebrity Pro-Am alongside Rory! We are all really looking forward to it. Peter, Teddy and I have all competed on the world stage, and we love our golf, but that won’t stop us feeling the nerves when we step up onto that first tee at Wentworth. It’s going to be a great day, and who better to have on our team, offering a few words of advice, than Rory McIlroy. I can’t wait!”

McIlroy and the Manchester United legends will be playing in the afternoon session at the BMW PGA celebrity Pro-Am, which gets underway at 13:00hrs on Wednesday (21 May).

To celebrate the collaboration and 60 years of the BMW PGA Championship, McIlroy and the three Manchester United greats have generously donated two signed shirts as a social media competition prize. McIlroy added, “Enter the competition and get the chance to win two signed shirts - one from me and another from the three Man U greats.”

The competition will run from 13-19 May on Rory McIlroy’s and The European Tour’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, as well as BMW UK’s @BMWPGA Twitter account.

A full list of teams playing in the BMW PGA Championship celebrity Pro-Am will be announced in due course.

Following Wednesday’s celebrity Pro-Am, McIlroy will aim to succeed defending BMW PGA Champion Matteo Manassero, bidding to add his name to an illustrious group of fellow Major winners who have captured the prestigious title, namely Tony Jacklin, Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and José María Olazábal.

BMW Official Car for Irish Open

BMW, one of The European Tour’s most significant partners, will lend support to the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland by becoming the Official Car to the event at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club in Co. Kerry from July 28th - 31st.

For the first time in the Irish Open, the prestige car manufacturers will provide a gleaming fleet of brand new BMW 5 series vehicles to transport the player, VIP guests, sponsors and officials to and from the golf course during one of the Tour’s most illustrious championships.

Since 1985, BMW has promoted amateur and professional golf tournaments internationally, taking into account the growing significance of golf for its customer base. The leading premium car manufacturer has been an important partner of The European Tour since the BMW International Open was launched in 1989. 

In 2005 BMW and The European Tour further extended their already strong partnership with BMW taking on title sponsorship of the Tour’s flagship event, the PGA Championship at Wentworth. 

Of course, BMW Ireland also has a close affinity with Ireland from 2006, when the company became Official Car to The Ryder Cup at The K Club in Co. Kildare.

This highly significant development for European golf meant that BMW became a partner of three tournaments on The European Tour International Schedule, namely the BMW PGA Championship, the BMW International Open and, until 2008, the BMW Asian Open, in addition to being the Official Car of The European Tour. In 2009, BMW further extended its partnership with the European Tour with the first BMW Italian Open.

Michael Nugent, Sales & Marketing Director, BMW Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to be associated with this prestigious sporting event. It is very important right now that an event of this nature with its international profile presents Ireland in its best light and we are delighted to make our contribution to ensure a successful outcome.”

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, commented: “BMW is one of the Tour’s most important Partners, currently supporting three key events on The Race to Dubai. We are indebted to BMW Ireland for providing the vehicles for this specialist service, facilitating the transportation of players, VIP guests, sponsors and officials to and from the golf course during the week.”