McGee and Phelan Added to K Club

McGee at Challenge de Madrid - Getty Images

Ruaidhri McGee and Kevin Phelan have accepted invitations from Sport Ireland to compete in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open which gets underway at The K Club next Thursday (19 May). 

This allows both players to start in a full European Tour event alongside some of the leading players in the world including Masters champion Danny Willett and Ireland's own Rory McIlroy. 

McGee, whose best finish of the season so far came on the Challenge Tour in Madrid where he was tied ninth can't wait to tee it up next week. 

"It's huge. It's such a big tournament the Irish Open. Obviously being my home tournament it's great to get to play in it. It could make a huge difference to the season. You have a good week there and it could change everything. 

"Sport Ireland have helped me out for the past three years now, it's been huge. I don't if I'd be where I am now without their support. I probably couldn't have played nearly as much as I have without it. It's been a great help." 

John Treacy, CEO Sport Ireland commented "I am delighted that Sport Ireland, through its sponsorship of the Irish Open, has been able to offer invitations to two emerging Irish golfers, Kevin Phelan and Ruaidhri McGee. This will provide both players with the opportunity to play in a top class European Tour event on home soil and also to help further their careers as professional golfers." 

Both McGee and Phelan received financial assistance this year from Sport Ireland as part of the Team Ireland Golf fund which is administered by the Confederation of Golf in Ireland. 

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McIlroy Green Jacket Favourite

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Rory McIlroy admits his Masters record is a source of disappointment and he cannot imagine ending his career without a green jacket.

McIlroy is the bookmakers' favourite for the year's first major championship, although the former world number one's best finish at Augusta National remains his share of 15th in 2011, when he held a four-shot lead going into the final round but collapsed to a closing 80.

"I'd be disappointed if I ended my career and wasn't able to go up and have breakfast in the champions' locker room," McIlroy said.

"The way I play golf, the way my game is, Augusta does set up well for me. And for me not to have a top-10 coming into my sixth Masters..."

McIlroy already has two major titles to his name after winning the US Open in 2011 - just two months after his Masters meltdown - and the 2012 US PGA Championship, both by eight shots.

The 24-year-old would love to take the third step towards a career grand slam by winning a Masters title that has evaded greats of the game like Greg Norman and Ernie Els.

Take control

"You can look at someone like Greg Norman, or the person that I look at is Ernie Els," McIlroy added. "He sees Trevor Immelman winning, he sees Charl Schwartzel win. He sees all these young South Africans; Louis Oosthuizen (losing) in a play-off.

"He should have won it in 2004 when Phil Mickelson birdied two of the last three. Mickelson was due a major at that point but he had never finished like that to win one, and all of a sudden he does. I think Ernie probably goes back every year and feels like that is the one that got away.

"I don't want to get to that point but I am 24, not 44. It would be great to win one sooner rather than later. It is the same with every competition; you don't want to wait too long for these things to happen. You want to take control of them yourself.

"Five players have won the career grand slam, I was looking at that the other day. I was looking at the ages; Tiger Woods was 24, Jack Nicklaus was 26. I think three people have done it in their 20s.

"There is no timescale, I have a lot of years left. I would love to do it. It's something that would be a huge achievement, to put yourself on that list."

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