Wednesday 16 November 2016 12:57, UK
Rory McIlroy has hinted his 2017 schedule will include a return to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
McIlroy has something of a love-hate relationship with the Surrey venue, where he missed the cut on three of his first six appearances before winning the European Tour's flagship event in 2014.
He would miss the cut again when defending his title 12 months later and did not take part in 2016 as he did not want to play four weeks in a row, with the third of those weeks seeing him host the Irish Open, bringing added pressure and responsibility.
The PGA takes a further step forward in 2017 as it becomes part of the new Rolex Series, one of a list of seven tournaments where the minimum total prize fund will be £5.6m which also includes the Irish Open.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see me back at Wentworth next year," said McIlroy.
But it would appear the Turkish Airlines Open will again not be part of his plans, with McIlroy having pulled out of the event because of security concerns, a decision that provoked anger from Turkish Golf Federation president Ahmet Agaoglu.
"I think I do enough good things on the golf course and off the golf course in terms of what I do charity-wise and how I try to carry myself," McIlroy said. "Pulling out of a couple of golf tournaments I don't think is going to damage that.
"I'd rather go to Turkey wanting to win the golf tournament than go to Turkey and not want to be there and finish 40th. What good does that do for the tournament? That does nothing for them.
"The biggest way they can promote golf in Turkey - okay they can have my face everywhere on posters - is me lifting that trophy at the end of the week. If I don't feel comfortable being there I'm not going to win the golf tournament."
Asked if he was likely to play next year, McIlroy added: "After what I read, maybe not."
