For Rory McIlroy, 2025 was an eventful year, as it was the year he achieved the coveted career Grand Slam in the majors. It also means that he achieved a major goal for any pro in the sport, so naturally, the question is, what now? McIlroy has been considering his next move, and he has an answer, which involves the larger golf events.
Rory McIlroy On The Venues
During a press conference at the Australian Open, McIlroy highlighted how high the venues have been held up. Courses like Pebble Beach, Royal Melbourne, and St Andrews. McIlroy is looking at these world-famous courses and is now looking to snag some victories on those fields.
“There are a few venues in our game that maybe just mean a bit more than some of the others, and that’s something that I would love to do one day,” McIlroy said. “I want to win more majors. I want to be part of more Ryder Cup teams.”
He also expressed a desire to be on more Ryder Cups. McIlroy wants to see more victories for his team during those tournaments. Although this last Ryder Cup has been overshadowed in his eyes, he still greatly enjoyed the event.
McIlroy On Smaller Events
While McIlroy was talking about seeing more major and Ryder Cup victories, he also expressed his shifting priorities away from the normal events on the PGA and DP World Tour.
“I’d say my records on either tour, whether it be the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour, are probably meaning a little less to me as time goes on, and it’s really just focusing on the majors and being part of that Ryder Cup team. I’m trying to build on the legacy that I’ve been building for the last 15 years.”
This is in line with what he said at the beginning of November about going a bit more international in the coming years. McIlroy has stated that he wants to do just that while keeping minimum attendance for the PGA Tour.
Would The Shifting Priorities Hurt Him?
For Rory McIlroy, shifting his focus away from the normal events may have a big impact on his career. It may be negative or positive, but that is hard to tell. This year, during the FedEx Cup, McIlroy skipped the first event to focus more on his own health and took some rest. With the standing he had in it, he could have skipped the next event if he so chose. His standing was just that good. It’s not often that an athlete can skip half the tournament and still have a shot at first. With his skill, it is possible that McIlroy can do the same with his minimum attendance on the PGA Tour.
Despite his skill and the legacy McIlroy has built up since he joined the Tour, he will most likely get some pushback for this. His absence during St Jude’s led to some calls for a change in the requirements for the FedEx Cup. The same may happen here. McIlroy is not one to back down from his decisions so easily. In the coming years, fans can expect to see exactly what he promised.
Main Photo Credit: © Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
