Breaking News: Rory McIlroy breaks silence with surprising announcement

Five-time major champion Rory McIlroy has confirmed he will head to Delhi for the very first time for the inaugural DP World India Championship.

McIlroy, 36, will head to Delhi over 16-19 October for the inaugural DP World India Championship.

The Northern Irishman has played in the country before as an amateur (2006) but never as a professional.

At the turn of the year, Bryson DeChambeau became the first reigning major champion to play in India when he participated in an Asian Tour at DLG Golf & Country Club in Gurugram.

“I’m excited to not only tee it up in India for the first time but also visit a country that I’ve always wanted to explore,” McIlroy said in a statement.

I’m proud to play in the inaugural DP World India Championship.”

The DP World India Championship will have a total prize purse of $4m.

This is not the first surprising announcement McIlroy has made with regards to his schedule.

Before the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, McIlroy revealed he also plans to head Down Under in December for the Australian Open.

McIlroy previously spoke of his desires to help elevate national opens as he revealed his wishes for a truly global PGA Tour schedule.

He has also committed to playing in the Australian Open in 2026 when it heads to Kingston Heath.

Rory McIlroy defended over media snub

Last week, McIlroy aimed to become the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win the year’s opening two major championships.

He entered the tournament as a joint favourite with Scottie Scheffler to claim the Wanamaker Trophy, with many experts suggesting that a pressure-free McIlroy would be a major threat to the competition.

However, he barely made the cut and eventually tied for 47th place.

His performance at Quail Hollow was below par, managing to hit only four of 14 fairways in the opening round.

It was later revealed that he had to make a last-minute driver change after the USGA found his usual club to be non-conforming.