"That 17th Hole Seems to Be an Absolute Menace…" Rory McIlroy Shares Intrigue About Infamous Course
AUSTRALIAN OPEN GOLF PRO AM, Northern Ireland s Rory McIlroy reacts on the driving range during practice ahead of the Australian Open Pro Am at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Tuesday, December 2, 2025. NO ARCHIVING MELBOURNE VICTORIA AUSTRALIA Royal Melbourne Golf Club PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUSxNZLxPNGxFIJxVANxSOLxTGA Copyright: xJAMESxROSSx 20251202133803323462
AUSTRALIAN OPEN GOLF PRO AM, Northern Ireland s Rory McIlroy reacts on the driving range during practice ahead of the Australian Open Pro Am at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Tuesday, December 2, 2025. NO ARCHIVING MELBOURNE VICTORIA AUSTRALIA Royal Melbourne Golf Club PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUSxNZLxPNGxFIJxVANxSOLxTGA Copyright: xJAMESxROSSx 20251202133803323462
Rory McIlroy has a new "infamous" target that has the golfing community buzzing with excitement.
Recently, the World No. 2 showed strong interest in the DLF Golf & Country Club, which features a highly punishing design by Gary Player.
"I'd love to play DLF. I think it's become this infamous golf course around the world. The bunkering, then that 17th hole seems to be an absolute menace of a golf hole!" McIlroy said as he described the architectural atrocities of the course.
McIlroy's comments came during the DP World Tour press conference, held during the week of the Hero Indian Open, when the course's reputation was a predominant topic.
The Northern Irishman acknowledged that the challenging design of the course has turned into a talking point across the world of golf, although he is not competing in Gurugram this week.
The course has earned prestige among other professional golfers for its varied degree changes and distinctive bunkering, as noted by the five-time major winner.
McIlroy's interest is a sign of his appreciation for a course that is likely to require a high level of accuracy, as he said, "I'd love to go there and play it at some point."
Conquering the DLF Challenge
The 17th hole at DLF is regarded as a card-wrecker with deep bunkers and a course that will penalize the slightest lapse of concentration.
As the top golfers in the world tend to have their reputations on the line by such holes that have been classified as historic menace holes, Rory McIlroy knows the accuracy that is needed to overcome such an obstacle.
His attraction can be linked to a tendency among the highest professionals to explore infamous designs to prove their abilities at the highest level of difficulty in game architecture.
"I'd love to go there and play it at some point," the golfer said of the course. "I don't think I'll be able to make it happen this week, though."
McIlroy suggested that when he comes back to the region next year, he might actually get a "free day to go and play DLF."
McIlroy is still some way off tackling 17, and it is growing in reputation as one of golf's most daunting challenges.
As the DP World Tour season unfolds, fans continue to speculate whether the Northern Irishman will actually get to play the Indian course.
Read more at Daily Club Golf!
Written by
Abhishek Sharma
Edited by
Siddharth Rawat