Rory McIlroy has expressed confidence in completing his 2026 season in the Middle East despite ongoing regional tensions sparked by military conflicts involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The world number four spoke after opening with a 69 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and addressed concerns raised by fellow golfer Matt Fitzpatrick, who recently said he would be uncomfortable returning to Dubai to defend his DP World Tour Championship title in November.

Fitzpatrick’s hesitancy comes amid heightened security concerns following hostile actions and retaliatory strikes that have impacted the Gulf region. While the DP World Tour has announced plans for both the Abu Dhabi play-off event and the Dubai finale, organizers have yet to make a definitive decision on whether the tournaments will proceed as scheduled.

McIlroy, who lived in Dubai earlier in his career, dismissed fears about safety, stating that if local authorities deemed it secure to host the events, visiting players and residents would not be put at risk. “I love the Middle East. I have a lot of friends there and I’m looking forward to going back for sure,” he added.

The Northern Irish golfer is currently three strokes behind joint leaders Aaron Rai and Joakim Lagergren as he aims to improve on a disappointing tie for 41st place at the Irish Open. McIlroy is chasing an eighth order of merit title, which would equal a record. However, his recent performances have been marked by inconsistency, highlighted by a closing stretch of three bogeys in seven holes at Wentworth.

McIlroy acknowledged that technical difficulties with his swing could take months to resolve, underscoring the challenges he faces this season. “I think it’s going to take a long time to get back to where I want to be,” he said. “It definitely still looks better on the range than what I get out there on the course.”

Despite the setbacks, McIlroy remains hopeful that continued practice will help his form stabilize. “If I keep to what I’m doing, it will hopefully start to bed in and start to feel and look similar on the course as it does on the range,” he said, adding that the correction process would mirror the time it took to develop the current issues.

With the Masters tournament still several months away, McIlroy is focused on regaining his rhythm and preparing for the key events ahead while maintaining a positive outlook on the remainder of the season.