Rory McIlroy to play first 3 events when Tour returns to action

When the PGA Tour returns to action in June, Rory McIlroy said he will play in the first three events on the calendar.

"I just want to get back out and play. So right now, I'm planning to play the first three events … and then see where we go from there," McIlroy said, according to PGA Tour's Ben Everill. "Obviously we're going to have to take as many precautions as possible to be able to put Tour events on again, but I think the PGA Tour has got a very robust plan in place, and if they can execute it the right way, I see no reason why we can't start June 11. If we do, I'll be ready to go in Fort Worth."

The Tour is set to return from its coronavirus-induced break with the Charles Schwab Challenge beginning on June 11 at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. McIlroy is entering unknown territory as he has never appeared in the event.

Fellow golfers Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson will also join McIlroy at Colonial, according to the tournament's website.

The two other events McIlroy will play in are the RBC Heritage in South Carolina on June 18 and the Travelers Championship on June 25 in Connecticut.

The current world No. 1 golfer expressed his excitement to return to golfing and to get the ball rolling again.

"I miss the competition. I miss the buzz of getting into contention and playing in those last few groups on a Sunday and really feeling that. I also miss the locker room. I miss being around people. I miss the banter that goes on in the locker rooms and the camaraderie that people don't see.

"I'm eager to play again and I'll play as much as necessary to give myself a chance to win tournaments and keep myself at the top of the world ranking. I was playing pretty well when this all happened in March, so I would like to just really pick up where I left off. That would be nice."

With just six starts in the current Tour season, McIlroy ranks third in the FedExCup standings behind Sungjae Im and Justin Thomas.