Rory McIlroy Commits to Florida PGA Tour Event in Effort to Play More Before Masters

McIlroy will tee it up in the Cognizant Classic, formerly the Honda Classic, for the first time since 2018.

Rory McIlroy seems to be sticking to his plan of playing in more PGA Tour events leading up to the Masters. The Northern Irishman has officially committed to the Cognizant Classic (formerly the Honda Classic), a tournament he hasn’t played since 2018. 

McIlroy is a past champion of the Florida event, which will take place from Feb. 28–March 2. He won in 2012, surviving a late-Sunday charge by 15-time major champion Tiger Woods. The victory marked just his third PGA Tour title and his first time ascending to world No. 1. 

Rory McIlroy's pre-Masters calendar is filling up :: Warren Little/Getty Images

McIlroy’s decision to revisit the Jack Nicklaus-designed Champion Course at PGA National Resort is part of a new strategy he is employing this season. Chasing the career grand slam at Augusta National, McIlroy is increasing his competitive reps ahead of the season's first major to enter the week as sharp as can be. 

McIlroy spoke of the plan at the Dubai Invitational in an interview with Golf Digest’s John Huggan. 

“My big thing about Augusta is just to go in there playing well. The weeks before are important just to get me feeling like I’m in good form. This year, in fact, I’m going to play more before the Masters. It will be my ninth or 10th event of the year. Previously, it’s been my sixth or seventh. I’ll hopefully be a bit sharper and know exactly where my game really is,” McIlroy said. 

McIlroy has already played twice this season on the DP World Tour but has yet to make his 2024 PGA Tour debut—he’ll tee it up next week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second signature event of the new season. 

The four-time major champion tied for second place at the Dubai Invitational after three-putting and hitting a tee shot in the water down the final stretch. He quickly redeemed himself, however, winning the Dubai Desert Classic for the fourth time just one week later. 

“Augusta is still a long way away in golfing terms. A lot can change in 2½ months,” McIlroy said after the victory at Emirates Golf Club. “But it's always nice to get a win. It's always nice to feel like you're playing well going into it. I've always said that I'll take execution over preparation every single time because you just you have to execute the golf shots, especially there.”