Rory McIlroy’s Ryder Cup build-up includes “bachelor party in Mykonos”

Rory McIlroy has revealed his busy build-up to the Ryder Cup will include a short break for a bachelor party in Mykonos.

McIlroy will be playing tournament golf for six of the next eight weeks as the biennial showdown with the USA near Rome looms.

The Northern Irishman will then head to the Greek party island before “drying out” and gearing up for the contest at Marco Simone Golf Club.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs begin this week and McIlroy is teeing it up at the St. Jude Championship, the first of three events in the PGA Tour’s money-spinning postseason.

• Tiger Woods accepts new PGA Tour role

• Rahm: PGA Tour “generated division”

He is aiming to defend his FedEx Cup crown and claim another $18m winner’s bonus at the Tour Championship at East Lake in three week’s time.

Then, after returning to Europe to play his national open and the BMW Championship at Wentworth, McIlroy will wind down from a relaxing stretch at his pal’s bachelor party.

“Yeah, so I’ve got the next three weeks, then I have a week off, then I’ll play the Irish Open, I’ll play Wentworth,” he explained on Wednesday.

“I’ve got a buddy’s bachelor party in Mykonos after Wentworth for a few days, and then I have a few days to dry out before the Ryder Cup.

“I’ve got a big, whatever that is, six-out-of-eight run culminating with the Ryder Cup where I’m hoping to play a lot of golf.

• FedEx Cup Playoffs format: How does it work?

• Mickelson reacts to Woods appointment

“I think those two off weeks are going to be important to just conserve energy and to really manage my time well and make sure I’m doing the right things so that I’m ready to go when I need to.”

McIlroy, meanwhile, insists that Tiger Woods has stepped up for the playing membership on the PGA Tour by joining the US circuit’s policy board.

Woods was brought in as part of a plan to improve transparency measures following June’s top-secret framework agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

“It’s a great addition,” McIlroy insisted. “The player over the last 20 years that’s left the biggest legacy on the game, for him to be involved in the discussions around the future of professional golf and what that may look like I think is very important.

“Tiger has stepped up for all of us on Tour, and I think he realises that the players that are on the policy board were trying to play regular golf, and at the same time try to navigate all these different things, as well.

“He’s maybe got a little more time on his hands than we do. For him to step up and sort of take a little bit of the load off us is very much appreciated.”