Rory McIlroy whereabouts revealed as Masters champion skips signature PGA Tour event

Masters champion Rory McIlroy has already begun his preparation for The Open. 

The Northern Irishman will attempt to win his second major of 2026 and seventh overall when golf's oldest major heads to Royal Birkdale in three weeks' time. 

The 37-year-old was spotted getting in some reps on Thursday and even ran into Sir Nick Faldo, who was also doing some prep work for Sky Sports. 

Faldo, 68, even stopped McIlroy for an impromptu interview and asked him how he was feeling and his thoughts on the course. 

"It's good to get up here and play early," McIlroy told Faldo. 

"I've been trying to do that at every major championship, which is working out for me."

McIlroy was referring to the fact he spent considerable time flying back and forth to Augusta National before he successfully defended his Masters title.

It was a victory that also saw him join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Faldo as the only golfers to defend the green jacket. 

McIlroy said the course was a little bit different compared to when he last played an Open at Royal Birkdale nine years ago. 

That year, America's Jordan Spieth won the Claret Jug and McIlroy tied for fourth. 

McIlroy said the fifth hole, a driveable par-four, looked visibly different.

“I've always thought that Birkdale was one of the best in the Open rota," McIlroy added.

McIlroy will next compete in the Genesis Scottish Open, which will be held the week before The Open at The Renaissance Club. 

McIlroy has decided to skip this week's Travelers Championship. 

It is the final signature event of the 2025/2026 season and McIlroy has now missed three overall. 

McIlroy choosing to sit out the $20m event at TPC River Highlands raises an interesting question. 

He needs to play a minimum of 15 events to retain his PGA Tour membership in 2027 but, as things stand, has only played nine this year on the North American circuit. 

McIlroy has played at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players, Masters, Truist Championship, PGA Championship, Memorial and the U.S. Open. 

Playing in The Open and Scottish Open will get him to 11 but, even if he were to play in the three playoff events in August he would still come up short. 

His agent, Sean O'Flaherty, told Bob Harig of The Daily Drive that McIlroy has expressed no desire to give up his membership in 2027. 

At the beginning of the month, McIlroy explained that he will continue to pick and choose where he plays under the PGA Tour's new-look schedule. 

From 2028, the circuit will be divided into a Championship and Challenger Series, with players switching level based on their performance.

"I've been doing this a long time." McIlroy said. "I've been on tour more than half of my life at this point.

"So I'll pick and choose my spots like I have been doing sort of the last 18 months to two years.

"Does it mean it makes it harder for myself to win the FedExCup or whatever the season-long title race is going to be called? Absolutely. 

"But I'm okay with that because it brings balance to my life and lets me enjoy things outside of the game."