How Rory McIlroy is bringing golf back (for charity) with the help of Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson

“I think golf can return to doing things like this,” McIlroy said.

It’s not like the Masters is returning only about a month late or anything, but real-life, not virtual golf is coming back — just in a very limited capacity in a couple weeks and for charity.

As Rory McIlroy explained Monday on the TODAY show, he and Dustin Johnson will team up to take on Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in the TaylorMade Driving Relief event at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida on Sunday, May 17. Playing for charity with $3 million pledged, McIlroy explained that it’s all for the relief effort amid the global COVID-19 outbreak, which shut down golf, like nearly every other sport. (The PGA Tour is looking to resume competition June 8, as of now.)

In addition to not allowing fans at the charity event, protective measures will be in place to keep the golfers and others around safe, per the CDC’s guidelines, according to the Golf Channel.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” McIlroy said Monday on the TODAY show. “I’m pretty excited to do a small part to raise some money and raise some awareness in these really challenging times.”

The event will be broadcast that Sunday starting at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSN and the Golf Channel, along with multiple streaming options.

More via the Golf Channel:

UnitedHealth Group has pledged $3 million in charity skins with proceeds going to the American Nurses Foundation (for which McIlroy and DJ are playing) and CDC Foundation (Fowler and Wolff). Farmers Insurance will pledge an additional $1 million for a birdies-and-eagle pool to benefit Off Their Plate, which aids COVID-19 healthcare workers.

On the TODAY show, McIlroy described the two foundations as “very worthy causes, especially in these times.” And although it had previously been weeks since the world No. 1 player hit a ball, he explained he’s been able to get a little practice in recently as he prepares for this event at what he called “one of the most revered golf courses in the world.”

Addressing the idea of golf returning to the course safely, McIlroy continued:

“I think golf can return to doing things like this. We can keep ourselves socially distant, we can keep ourselves in different carts and stay obviously more than six feet away from one another. And that’s very important too, so taking all the necessary precautions to be able to put this match on.”

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