Rory McIlroy has an end of year golf trip planned to New Zealand

World No. 3 Rory McIlroy is trading competition for leisure as he prepares for a golf trip to New Zealand, where he will play at some of the country’s most prestigious courses.

Rory McIlroy will head to New Zealand this December, marking his first visit to the country since 2006. The trip will include rounds at the exclusive Tara Iti and Te Arai courses, and is being organized by a friend who owns property in the region.

“I want to go down there and play Tara Iti and Te Arai. I have a friend that has a house down there,” McIlroy said. “A group of us are going down for five days.”

This comes after McIlroy’s busy 2024 season, during which he played in 27 events.

McIlroy, who had a tumultuous year including the heartbreaking finish to the US Open, finished his year with decent performances in the FedEx Cup Play-Offs and the Alfred Dunhill Links, is eager for some downtime.

The trip to New Zealand allows him to combine relaxation with his love of golf, as he winds down from an intense schedule.

“So, I will still be keeping busy these next few months but already looking forward to doing other things that I am interested in and just spending time doing other stuff.”