Rory McIlroy set to avoid punishment despite breaking strict PGA Tour rule

Rory McIlroy is set to avoid punishment despite being on course to fall short of one of the PGA Tour's strictest membership rules.

The Northern Irishman has played only nine PGA Tour events so far this season and is expected to remain below the required 15-event minimum even if he competes in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Under PGA Tour rules, regular members are expected to play at least 15 events in order to retain full status.

But McIlroy is not expected to face any sanction, with the Tour handbook allowing the commissioner to waive the requirement for foreign members in cases involving "medical reasons or other extraordinary circumstances".

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According to Bob Harig, the PGA Tour will not take action against McIlroy if he finishes the campaign one event short of the minimum.

Harig claims the Tour contacted him directly to point out the wording in the handbook that would allow McIlroy to avoid punishment.

McIlroy has already skipped three signature events this year, missing the Cadillac Championship, the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship.

He used the week of the Travelers to scout Royal Birkdale ahead of The Open, underlining his determination to manage his schedule carefully rather than chase appearances for the sake of it.

The 37-year-old has enjoyed another high-profile season, winning back-to-back Masters titles in April after edging Scottie Scheffler by one shot at 12-under.

That victory made McIlroy the first man to defend the green jacket since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002, while also taking his major tally to six.

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His other major appearances have been more mixed.

He finished tied-seventh at the PGA Championship at Aronimink, where Aaron Rai became the first English winner of the event since 1919.

At the US Open, McIlroy ended outside the top 30 at six-over after fading badly with a back-nine 40 on Saturday as Wyndham Clark completed a wire-to-wire victory at Shinnecock Hills.

McIlroy's planned appearances at the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship would take him to 11 PGA Tour events for the year.

If he then plays all three FedEx Cup Playoff events, he would finish on 14 - one short of the usual requirement.

The expected leniency marks a contrast with past cases.

Martin Kaymer lost his full PGA Tour membership for the 2016 season after failing to meet the minimum requirement.

Seve Ballesteros was also punished after playing only nine PGA Tour events in 1985, with the policy board voting to ban him for the entire 1986 season.

McIlroy, however, has made clear he intends to continue managing his schedule on his own terms.

"I've been doing this a long time, I've been on Tour longer - more than half of my life at this point," he said.

"So I'll pick and choose my spots like I have been doing sort of the last 18 months to two years."

McIlroy still has opportunities to reach the 15-event mark, with the 3M Open, Rocket Classic and Wyndham Championship all taking place after The Open and before the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

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