McIlroy gambles on early finish to make Vegas fight night

Rory McIlroy has a busy weekend in store as he plans to make a 1,140-mile round trip from the WGC-Cadillac Match Play to Las Vegas for the Mayweather Pacquiao fight

Rory McIlroy could have a busy birthday weekend ahead as he plans a 1,140-mile round trip from the WGC-Cadillac Match Play to Las Vegas for the Mayweather Pacquiao fight.

If the Northern Irishman qualifies for Sunday’s semi-finals in San Francisco he plans to jump straight into a private jet and head to ringside for the fight before returning straight after the final bell.

His task this week looked difficult enough when the draw was made but his planned detour makes a tenth PGA Tour title this weekend an even bigger challenge.

McIlroy, who turns 26 on Monday, faces Jason Dufner today before further group matches against Brandt Snedeker and Billy Horschel.

If he overcomes this challenge, his diary for the weekend will start to look pretty full with a possible 36 holes on Saturday, followed by fight night and then the prospect of the same to come on Sunday.

There is no guarantee however that his Vegas dash will bear fruit. The flight time is estimated at 90 minutes and the fight is due to start at 8.30pm, meaning McIlroy will have to wrap things up early if he is to make it in time.

The hardest part of the trip may be getting out of Harding Park, which is about a 20-minute drive from the airport.

Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth was less certain of his seat at ringside as he seemed a little bit more focussed on the weekend’s golf.

“If things don’t go perfectly this week, I may see him at the fight. Who knows?” Spieth said. “I don’t plan on being there. But I may be there.”