Rory McIlroy wants to play fewer tournaments next year because he had a very busy 2024.
He started the year with two events in Dubai and then got ready for April’s Masters by adding more tournaments like the Valero Texas Open and the Cognizant Classic. Even though he didn’t win at Augusta, Rory said he was still “loving golf at the moment” and kept playing in many competitions.
His hard work paid off with wins at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry and at the Wells Fargo Championship. But after losing to Bryson DeChambeau at June’s US Open, he took a four-week break .
Upcoming Changes:
After finishing 12th at the Tour Championship, Rory admitted he couldn’t keep up this pace in 2025. He still has five more events this year, including the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. He said, “Yeah. My season is not over, obviously… But yeah, it’s been – I feel like the tournaments came thick and fast.”
Fans might think it’s about time Rory takes it easy.
Despite his busy schedule, Rory has done well since his near-miss at Pinehurst No.2. He finished in the top five at both the Genesis Scottish Open and while representing Ireland at the Olympics.
However, playing six tournaments since July also led to some disappointments like missing the cut at The Open. This made it clear that having too many events wasn’t always working out for him.
When asked how many tournaments he’s played this year, Rory said “27.” When asked how many is too many? “27,” he repeated. He explained that usually, he’d play around 22 when he was younger and had fewer responsibilities.
So what’s next? Rory plans to cut back to about 18 or 20 events each year starting in 2025.
What do you think about Rory’s decision?
