Masters champion Rory McIlroy has urged the PGA Tour to “be careful” with the Scottish Open with significant changes due to the schedule in 2028.
The American circuit, which co-sanctions this week’s event at Renaissance Club in North Berwick with the DP World Tour, is moving towards a two-tier model which will introduce more 20million US dollar (£15m), restricted fields for the top golfers.
A Challenger series will run concurrently and those players are not allowed to compete in the Championship series – and vice-versa – unless they win two events in the same season to earn promotion.
The Scottish Open will not qualify for Championship status so although there are 14 of the world’s top 20 competing this week a large majority would be ineligible to play from 2028 onwards.
“We’ve got to be careful with that because then these national Opens lose the fabric of what they are,” said McIlroy.
“You can’t call yourself a national Open anymore if it’s a closed off tournament and there’s a certain number of guys.
“These events need to be treated differently than, you know, the Travelers Championship or RBC Heritage or whatever else is going to be in the Champions Series. There’s a little bit more nuance with these tournaments for sure.”
Scotsman Bob MacIntyre admits it would not make sense to elevate his home event for just the elite.
“I think it would be a bit mad to put a 20m dollar event in Scotland when the world we live in today, I mean, it’s not the same as America. It’s more realistic on the money side of it,” said the left-hander, who is paired with McIlroy and defending champion Chris Gotterup for the first two days.
McIlroy has been spending the summer at his new home in Wentworth but after recently enjoying four days “down in Cornwall with the Donalds and the Lowrys” his hopes of an under-the-radar practice round before next week’s Open were shattered when Sir Nick Faldo posted it on social media after meeting him at Royal Birkdale.
“I would have liked to have not had it known that I was there, but Faldo couldn’t put his phone away!” joked McIlroy, who was criticised by some for spending so much time at Augusta before his successful Masters defence.
“(It was) just getting an early look at new holes and means it takes pressure off the start of the week.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who defends his Open title at Birkdale next week, is paired with England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.
“I didn’t come over here just for smoke and prep. I came over here to play golf and play well,” Scheffler said.
“I don’t think I’ve played in the final group here yet, so it would be nice to get up near the lead and experience that as well.”
With the Scottish Open being co-sanctioned, Jon Rahm is set to play a first PGA Tour competition outside the majors since his switch to LIV Golf.
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