While Matt Fitzpatrick has spent the week openly wrestling with whether to travel to the Middle East this November, Rory McIlroy has made his own position clear, and it’s a very different one. Speaking after his opening round at the BMW PGA Championship, McIlroy addressed the growing debate among players over whether the DP World Tour should proceed with its season-ending events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, given the ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

Journalist Joy Chakravarty captured his response on X: “If the local governments feel like it’s safe to put on these events, they are not going to put their citizens or people visiting in harm’s way, I imagine.” McIlroy expanded on that reasoning further with reporters, adding, “I love the Middle East. I have a lot of friends there, and I’m looking forward to going back for sure.”

McIlroy’s view is different from two of his Ryder Cup teammates. Fitzpatrick told reporters earlier this week, “Being completely honest as things stand right now, I would say I’m not that comfortable.” He said becoming a father in August had changed his view, and he also criticized the DP World Tour for being “very vague” about its plans. Bob MacIntyre also shared his concerns. He told The Scotsman, “To be honest, I’m not wanting to go to the Middle East with everything that is going on.” When McIlroy was asked if he had the same concerns, he simply said, “Not for me.”

McIlroy also made it clear that his view is only his personal opinion. He does not believe he should make the decision for the tour. “It’s not for me to make these decisions. I’m not paid to do that. But I just don’t feel like my opinion would hold that much weight,” he said. He also admitted that players have different views. “I spoke to a couple of the guys, and some of them have said they are uncomfortable. Some have said it’s fine. I guess we’ll see.” Fitzpatrick also pointed to Formula One’s concerns about holding its Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. McIlroy mentioned the issue but did not fully endorse Fitzpatrick’s comparison to F1’s situation.

The two events are the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links from November 5-8 and the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai the following week. Both events are still on the schedule, but the DP World Tour has not made a final decision on whether they will go ahead as planned. The U.S. State Department has also issued a Level 3 travel advisory for the UAE, asking people to reconsider nonessential travel. The U.K. government has also changed its travel advice, while still warning about terrorism and the wider conflict in the region.

For McIlroy, the events also have a big impact on his season. He is currently second in the Race to Dubai standings behind Patrick Reed. A strong finish in the Middle East could help him win his eighth Race to Dubai title and match Colin Montgomerie’s record. Reed, however, has said that stopping McIlroy this year would only delay him from reaching the record.

For now, the DP World Tour is facing a difficult situation. Both major events are still on the schedule, but its top players have different views about playing in the region. McIlroy has said the final decision should be left to the local governments. Fitzpatrick and MacIntyre, however, have both raised concerns. With the November events getting closer, it is still unclear how many of the tour’s top players will take part.