Rory McIlroy unsure when he will play golf outside of the PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy admits his next golf tournament outside of the PGA Tour could be some time as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and he has also ruled out competing in his home Irish Open next month.

McIlroy, who currently ranks eighth in the FedEx Cup standings as he goes in search of a third career FedEx Cup, was speaking to the media ahead of this week's Northern Trust at TPC Boston, the first leg of the Playoffs. 

McIlroy's latest comments confirm he will not be teeing up in the Irish Open set for September 24 to 27 at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort. 

"I'm planning to stay in the States, I don't see myself travelling internationally for a while," said McIlroy, who now resides in Jupiter, Florida.

"I'm playing four of the next five weeks with that last week being a major championship.

"It might be different if there could be fans there and stuff, but it's behind closed doors and it's not an Irish Open like we're used to it being the last few years with obviously big prize funds and everything.

"But not even that, (it's) just the fact that I just want to spend time at home and not travel too much the next few months."

The current World No.3 will bid to not only become the first player to defend the FedEx Cup but also the first to win it three times following wins in 2016 and 2019, with Tiger Woods the only other player to have won it twice back in 2007 and 2009. 

The Northern Irishman has not been seen at his imperious best since golf's restart in May with no top-10 finishes in his last six starts on the PGA Tour, but he does at least head to a venue where he has won twice before (2012, 2016) when TPC Boston hosted the Dell Technologies Championship.

"It's nice to be up there even though I haven't had the best few weeks coming back from lockdown," said McIlroy.

"I'm still, you know, right in there. I'm in the top-10 and feel like if I can get something going here over the next few weeks, I've got a great chance going into East Lake.

"This is usually a time of year where I've historically played pretty well. Boston's a place and a golf course where I've got some nice history, so hopefully that can ignite something for me this week and I can get on a good little run of golf coming up.

"The last few weeks haven't really been what I've wanted from a golf standpoint on the course and also results-wise, and even just sort of practice-wise and technique-wise, hasn't really been where I've wanted it to be.

"I sound like a broken record. I saw some good signs last week in practice, and just a matter of it translating out into the competitive arena."