Woods And McIlroy Play Ballybunion In Open Championship Tune-Up

Tiger Woods has been tracked down in Ireland after refusing to tell the media where he was planning to practise his links golf ahead of next week's 150th Open.

"I am," Woods confirmed if he was planning to remain in Ireland following the JP McManus Pro-Am before denying to tell media where he was heading. "No, I don't want to tell you because I don't want everyone coming down and watching us," he said. 

Good thinking from Woods who was followed by a helicopter earlier this year when scouting out Southern Hills ahead of the PGA Championship.

Well, the 15-time Major winner was spotted playing Ballybunion on the west coast along with four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy. The two friends and Florida residents have skipped this week's Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, with McIlroy not being a fan of the course and Woods currently still playing a Majors-only schedule following his car accident in February 2021. 

Images emerged on social media of the pair playing one of the best golf courses in Ireland on Tuesday after apparently arriving by helicopter courtesy of JP McManus. Woods has always tended to tune up his links game in Ireland ahead of Open week and this year looks to be no exception.

They're not the only tour pros to have visited Ballybunion over the last week, with Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler all playing the course, as well as Lahinch, prior to the JP McManus Pro-Am.

Social media coverage of Woods and McIlroy at Ballybunion: