Event Notes: Rory McIlroy Confirms He Will Participate In 2017 U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy "allayed fears over the rib problem which has disrupted his year by confirming he will be fit to participate" in the U.S. Open next week. McIlroy withdrew from recent events in the U.S. and Europe because of the injury which has "troubled him" since the start of '17. This "marks a boost to the tournament," especially after news that Phil Mickelson "plans to skip the second major of the year to attend his daughter's high school graduation" (London GUARDIAN, 6/4).

When Iraq's national football team hosted Jordan in the southern city of Basra before a crowd of 65,000 on Thursday, it was the first match "on home soil" since FIFA banned Iraq from hosting friendlies in '13 "after a coach was killed by security forces." The ban was lifted last month for a three-month probationary period during which the nation's "ability to host matches will be assessed." If it "goes well," official int'l matches, as well as friendlies, "may return to the country" (AFP, 6/2).