The ‘5th major’ of men’s golf! No, no… we are not talking about the PLAYERS Championship but the event that Rory McIlroy was all praise for back in January, none other than the Australian Open. Yes, you read that right! However, not many in the golf world gave much attention to that remark of his. But even so, his sentiments for the National events which are not part of the American circuits seem to remain, while giving an ‘authentic’ comment on the recently ended DP World Tour events.

“I’ve loved them, absolutely loved them,” said the Northern Irishman after the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as per The Scotsman. “I appreciate them more as I get older, yeah.” Now, you may be wondering as to why that would be the case. No worries, for the golfer himself, gave the reason behind that statement of his.

“I did an interview last week,” divulged the 35-year-old. “And I said that one thing that I love when I come back here is the tournaments just feel a little more authentic and pure and not as corporate and I really like that.” McIlroy then took to recount his amateur golfing days, the time when he used to play the sport for just the pride and vouchers one receives in the pro shop, among others.

The 4-time major champ also took to point out how the BMW Championship, the Irish Open, and the recently ended event drew in a lot of crowds. “The crowds at the Irish Open and Wentworth, even here as well,” said Rory McIlroy, “Honestly compared to the three FedEx Cup Play-Offs events, they were bigger and the atmosphere was better.”

And would that be possible on the PGA Tour as well? ‘Yes’, he said, as he added how it was just a taste of what might be in store for golf, if (and that seems to be a big ‘IF’) the merger works out, as per the PGA Tour-LIV Golf advocate. That’s not all. The 35-year-old also went ahead to allude to the various National Opens over the world while expressing the need for the golf world to prioritize them. “I think that would be really cool and get us back to the good old days.” Told you he still sported the same sentiment to the kind of tournaments.

Rory McIlroy and his idea of a global Tour

A global Tour? What’s that?! “If you look at all the tournaments that the top players play, informally,” mentioned the athlete back in January, “Sort of without any structure around it, and between a few different tours, I think we have at least the majority of what a global tour would look like.” The golfer also disclosed how the bigger PGA Tour tournaments should also be a part of the same while adding the National championships to the said schedule. Novel idea, one must say!

In an interview with Golf Digest, he also added how the Australian and South African Opens should be added to the said Global Tour before dishing out the ‘Fifth Major’ suggestion. The reason? Well, he did that because of the immense popularity of the sport in Australia, not to mention the quality of the courses there.

The idea of a Global Tour is but a long shot owing to the lack of recognition given to these tournaments. And as of now, it seems just like a “pie in the sky,” as Rory McIlroy himself put it! But if it does happen, then the landscape of golf is sure to witness a big change!