Rory McIlroy has revealed that spending more time with his family has helped him stay motivated after almost two decades as a professional golfer.
The Northern Irish star has reduced his playing schedule this season and believes the extra time away from tournaments has brought more balance to his life. He also feels the lighter workload has helped him enjoy golf even more.
McIlroy made another change to his routine before the 2026 Masters. Instead of playing events in the weeks leading up to the year’s first major, he chose to prepare at Augusta National, believing it gave him the best chance to perform well.
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McIlroy Says Lighter Schedule Gives Him More Balance
Speaking after his opening round at the Genesis Scottish Open, McIlroy explained why he has decided to play fewer tournaments.
Rory on his recent, “lighter” schedule.
He’s only played 4 times in the 12 weeks since winning the Masters.
He was asked after that today… pic.twitter.com/eD62lXx27m
— Jamie Kennedy (@jamierkennedy) July 9, 2026
“The benefits are seeing my family more. Feeling like I have a bit more balance in my life.” McIlory said. “I think one of the other benefits for me, like I’m nearly 20 years into this, and I need to do everything I can to keep my enthusiasm as high as possible, and playing a lighter schedule definitely does that. I feel like even though I have played pretty sparsely over the past few months, the starts of my tournaments have all been really good.”
This week’s Genesis Scottish Open is only McIlroy’s 10th PGA Tour start of the season. That means he is expected to finish below the 15-event minimum needed to qualify for home-tour status. The PGA Tour is expected to make changes that will allow McIlroy to keep those membership benefits despite playing fewer events. The arrangement would still let him compete freely on other tours, except LIV Golf.
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McIlroy has repeatedly said he wants to spend less time traveling in the United States so he can be with his family more often while also playing more events on the DP World Tour.
Scottish Open Marks Another Fresh Start For McIlroy
McIlroy returned to action this week after a disappointing finish at last month’s U.S. Open, where he faded over the weekend. There were no signs of that struggle during his opening round at The Renaissance Club, where he made a strong start against one of the deepest fields outside the major championships.
The Genesis Scottish Open has brought together many of the biggest names from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf. With the major season now coming to an end, McIlroy will also begin another push for the Race to Dubai title. His lighter schedule may mean fewer tournaments, but he believes it is the right balance for both his career and his family life.
Main Photo Credit: © Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
