Rory McIlroy to play in first live golf event in more than two months

Rory McIlroy, the world No 1, will feature in the first live golf to be televised in more than two months when he takes part in a charity event in Florida next weekend.

World No Rory McIlroy will team up with Dustin Johnson against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in the TaylorMade Driving Relief event at Seminole in Florida on Sunday week. Picture: Getty Images

The four-time major winner is set to partner Dustin Johnson in a skins match against former Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open champion Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff at Seminole.

The behind-closed-doors event called TaylorMade Driving Relief on Sunday, 17 May will be screened by Sky Sports in the UK, with the action getting underway at 7pm UK time.

A total of $4 million is being put up by UnitedHealth Group and Farmers Insurance, with the money going to the American Nurses Foundation and CDC Foundation, two organisations helping to lead COVID-19 relief efforts in the US.

The event will follow strict social distancing guidelines, local mandates and will utilise appropriate testing measures to help protect the health and safety of the golfers, production crew and others on site.

“We are excited about the safe and responsible return of live golf and the opportunity to raise significant funds for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic through the TaylorMade Driving Relief event,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“With four of the PGA Tour’s top stars in Rory, Rickie, Dustin and Matthew of Team TaylorMade participating and UnitedHealth Group serving as the foundation of charitable giving, and Farmers Insurance providing an additional bonus pool, golf fans around the world can look forward to a unique, interactive and entertaining event that will help those in need.”

The PGA Tour is due to restart on 11 June with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth - the first of four events set to be played without fans.

Meanwhile, hopes of the US PGA Championship going ahead in early August have been raised after the host venue, TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, reopened today after being closed due to the coronavirus crisis.

The encouraging development coincided with it being reported that there are only four states remaining in the US that now have course closures in operation - Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

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