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• Big names continue to drop out of Turkish Airlines Open
• Rory McIlroy said the reasons for his decision were ‘obvious’
• The tournament will go underway despite security concerns

RORY MCILROY | EUROPEAN TOUR

The Turkish Airlines Open will go ahead this week – but will only feature three of the Race to Dubai’s top ten with Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson opting not to play.

The first of the three Final Series events on the European Tour, taking place at the Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort in Antalya, has been dogged by security concerns in recent weeks following a rocket attack about an hour from the resort.

“I think it’s obvious” – Rory McIlroy

This was followed up last Tuesday by a car explosion in the parking lot of the Antalya Trade and Industry Chamber, which slightly injured about a dozen people.

Read more -> Turkish Airlines Open thrown into doubt

CONTINUES BELOW…

WGC - HSBC Champions: Day Three

“I think it’s obvious,” was all Rory McIlroy told Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press when asked why he chose to withdraw following the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions.

It means that he’s now unlikely to win the Race to Dubai – something he’s achieved in three of the past four years – leaving Danny Willett the favourite to capture it for the first time.

“If I have somewhat of a chance going into Dubai, that’s great” – Rory McIlroy

“I guess it’s out of my hands,” added Rory McIlroy. “I took the decision not to go to Turkey next week. Those boys can battle it out. If I have somewhat of a chance going into Dubai, that’s great. If not, they’ve had big wins over the course of the season. They’ve played well — two major championships. I’m OK with that.”

Read more -> Rory McIlroy makes TaylorMade driver switch

CONTINUES BELOW…

WGC - HSBC Champions: Previews

Current Race to Dubai leader Stenson will also not be heading to Turkey, instead heading back home to Orlando for the week before making the long flight to South Africa for the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

“Hopefully I can just carry on for the final two weeks” – Henrik Stenson

“I’m back home to Orlando,” said Stenson, who finished T2 in China and some seven shots behind winner Hideki Matsuyama. “I’ll do a bit of work with Pete and then hopefully I can just carry on for the final two weeks.”

Of the current Race to Dubai top ten of Stenson, Willett, McIlroy, Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Louis Oosthuizen, Chris Wood, Branden Grace and Lee Westwood, only Willett, Hatton and Westwood are teeing it up in Turkey.

Rory McIlroy out of the Turkish Airlines Open

What do you make of Rory McIlroy’s and many others’ decisions to opt out of the Turkish Airlines Open? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.

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