With the PGA Tour season complete, several big names make the trip to the K Club in Ireland for the next stop on the DP World Tour.
Rory McIlroy confirmed his appearance in the tournament in December as he returns to the scene of his maiden professional victory in Ireland. That came seven years ago when he beat Bradley Dredge and Russell Knox by three shots. The World No.2 will be confident of repeating that success, particularly as his most recent win came less than two months ago in the Genesis Scottish Open.
That win came during a superb run of results for the Ulsterman that saw him finish in the top 10 for nine tournaments in succession. That came to an end with a T11 at the Tour Championship, but with one eye on the Ryder Cup, he will surely feel he’s heading into the match playing some of his best golf.
The 34-year-old is not the only Ryder Cup player hoping to keep his game sharp this week. Shane Lowry is in his homeland for the tournament days after being selected by Team Europe captain Luke Donald as one of his six wildcards.
The Irishman will feel he has something to prove having not finished in the top 10 of a tournament since the Honda Classic in February. Lowry won the Irish Open while still an amateur in 2009, and he will draw inspiration from that here.
Another Team Europe player in the field is Tyrrell Hatton. The Englishman is coming off the back of a successful PGA Tour season that included runner-up in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass before finishing the season with a T9 in the Tour Championship.
Those are far from the only big names in the field. One player who had looked like a lock for the Ryder Cup is the defending champion Adrian Meronk. The Pole eventually missed out on a wildcard pick and he will be hoping to put that disappointment behind him with a fourth DP World Tour win.
Defending champion Adrian Meronk will hope to put the disappointment of missing out on a European Ryder Cup wildcard behind him
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Other wildcard contenders who missed out on a pick from Donald in the field include Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal, Adrian Otaegui and Yannik Paul.
Seven-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel and 2013…
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