Report: PGA Tour to give Rory McIlroy a pass if he breaks membership rule

Rory McIlroy is likely to receive a pass from the PGA Tour commissioner if the Northern Irishman doesn't fulfil his membership obligations, according to a report. 

McIlroy, 37, needs to play in at least 15 PGA Tour events this season so he can retain his membership in 2027. 

The minimum requirement also allows McIlroy to get unlimited tournament releases to take part in DP World Tour events in Europe and the Middle East. 

But the Masters champion has only played in nine events this season and, as things stand, is likely to come up one event short even if he participates in all three playoff events in August. 

However, Bob Harig of The Daily Drive has reported that this is likely to be overlooked. 

The PGA Tour pointed Harig to this rule in the player handbook:

"Notwithstanding the above, the commissioner, upon application by a foreign member and for medical reasons or other extraordinary circumstances that the commissioner, at his discretion, determines to be a valid reason for not playing in at least 15 PGA Tour cosponsored or approved tournaments, may reduce the 15-minimum (or 12-minimum as the case may be) tournament requirement."

McIlroy may be able to argue that injuries prevented him from teeing up. 

In March, he suffered back spasms before the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and withdrew. 

He returned a week later to try and defend his Players Championship title but didn't play again until the 2026 Masters at Augusta National. 

McIlroy has continued to skip some of the PGA Tour's biggest events, though. 

He did not play the RBC Heritage or the Cadillac Championship at Doral and he has decided against playing the Travelers Championship this week in favour of getting in some Open prep at Royal Birkdale. 

In fairness to McIlroy, he has spoken openly of his dislike for playing the RBC Heritage as he is not a fan of the course and the $20m tournament is staged a week after a major. 

McIlroy's decision to skip signature events has attracted criticism, given he was at the forefront of their creation in response to the threat of LIV Golf in 2022. 

In May, an unapologetic McIlroy said we could expect more of the same. 

"That's what Tiger used to do, he picked and chose what events he wanted to play where he felt like he had the best cadence to his schedule, and where he had the best chance to win," he said. 

"I think what Scottie and I are doing at the minute is no different.

"But the thing is to me what we've realized over the past four or five years is the value in professional golf lies more with the platform rather than any individual player, because we are all replaceable.

"We all come and go, we all pass through the system, but the thing that remains is the platform of the PGA Tour, and that's the valuable thing, so my argument is it would be great to get everyone playing every single week, but I just don't think that's possible. 

"But the value is the platform, and if we can put across the best possible product that we can, even if that means sometimes guys missing out on events here and there then I think that's the best way forward."

McIlroy also said he plans to take the same approach with his playing schedule even when a two-tier PGA Tour system is introduced.

“I’ll always look at the schedule at the start of the year and see what best fits me and my life and everything else that I sort of do, whether it’s with family or other opportunities that I’m pursuing outside of golf. I’ll always look at that,” he said.

“I'll always choose the schedule that best fits me, and this year that meant skipping a few signature events. 

"I might skip less (in 2026). I might skip the same amount, I don’t know. 

"It's all just — the luxury of being a PGA Tour player is we are free to pick and choose our schedule for the most part, and I took advantage of that this year and I'll continue to take advantage of that for as long as I can."