Rory McIlroy sure he'll keep PGA Tour status despite 14 starts - ESPN

Masters champion Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that he's confident he'll reach a compromise with the PGA Tour to fulfill his minimum qualification of playing in 15 events this season to maintain his dual membership.

After skipping the FedEx St. Jude Championship last year, McIlroy is playing in the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs this week at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

The world No. 2 golfer will also qualify for the final two playoff events, the BMW Championship and Tour Championship, bringing his season total to 14 tournaments.

Since McIlroy plans to play in six more global tournaments after the Tour Championship, there probably won't be time in his schedule to play an additional PGA Tour event in the fall.

McIlroy said he had «productive» discussions with PGA Tour commissioner/CEO Brian Rolapp last week. He could participate in another opportunity that could add value to the tour in place of a 15th tournament.

«Brian and I have been in constant dialogue, basically since he took the job last year,» McIlroy told the Golf Channel on Wednesday. «I think we've built up a really good relationship and we've had a couple of conversations last week about what I can do with the tour going forward to fulfill the obligation to keep my membership.

»But I think that's good. We've had productive conversations; we're figuring it out and it will all be fine. It will be a little bit of work between us."

McIlroy has played only six times on tour, including the other three major championships, since winning a second consecutive green jacket at the Masters in April. He hasn't played competitively since tying for 40th in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, in mid-July.

As it stands, McIlroy