It’s not every day Rory McIlroy leaves his driver behind, but Thursday at Delhi Golf Club was one of those rare days.
Known for his explosive tee shots and elite driving stats, the reigning Masters winner made headlines by choosing not to carry his driver during the opening round of the DP World India Championship.
With that, McIlroy carded a 3-under-par 69, placing himself tied for 17th on Day 1. It places him five shots behind leader Shane Lowry, who fired a bogey-free 8-under 64.
McIlroy’s driver is typically his most lethal weapon. This year, he ranked among the top two in driving distance on the PGA Tour, averaging over 323 yards.
One of his iconic moments came at the Oakmont Golf Club during the US Open, where Rory launched a 392-yard drive, which was his longest measured drive of the season.
But Delhi Golf Club is a different beast. With tree-lined fairways and tight landing zones, it’s one of the narrowest courses on the DP World Tour.
McIlroy knew the risk.
“Dog was out of the bag, probably asleep in the locker,” he joked when asked about his choice to drop the driver. “I was sort of thinking about it last night before I went to bed. I’ve got a 2-iron, 3-iron, 4-iron all the way through, and then a 5-wood just in case I need it for an approach shot on a par-5. But I just don’t see any hole out there that I need to hit it more than 260, 270 off the tee.”
Though his round was steady, McIlroy acknowledged, “It’s a tricky golf course. You’re just really trying to be as conservative as possible off the tee and then trying to pick off birdies on the par-5s and maybe pick up a couple more.”
McIlroy also revealed an apparent infatuation with cricket, which is huge in India.
“I’d love to go and see a cricket game. I’d love to go watch a cricket match,” the five-time major winner disclosed on Tuesday. “I mean, I’m a bit of a sicko; I love sitting down and watching test matches.”
Apart from sports, McIlory also hopes to one day visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, which is considered one of the seven wonders of the world.
“Obviously the Taj Mahal, love to come back at some time in years to come, bring back the family and experience that together. It’s obviously a very, very big country and a lot to see. We’re just around Delhi but you head south, and you head to a lot of other wonderful places. I hear down on the sort of southwest coast is beautiful.”
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