DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� The goals for 2025 are piling up for Rory McIlroy.
Ending his drought in the majors dating back to 2014 is uppermost in his mind. There鈥檚 also the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where McIlroy will be the heartbeat of Europe鈥檚 team seeking a rare away win in one of sport's biggest events.
Now add to that his quest to reach the levels set by golf鈥檚 top two players at the moment: Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
鈥淭hey certainly separated themselves from the pack this year,鈥� the No. 3-ranked McIlroy said Wednesday in Dubai. 鈥淚鈥檓 obviously very aware of that, and it only makes me more motivated to try to emulate what they did this year.鈥�
Scheffler won the Masters, and plenty more. Schauffele won the PGA Championship and the British Open. McIlroy could 鈥� maybe should 鈥� have won the year鈥檚 other major, the U.S. Open, only to three-putt two of the last three holes to lose by one shot to Bryson DeChambeau.
So, McIlroy remains on four major titles 鈥� he鈥檚 been on that number for a decade 鈥� and that鈥檚 painful for him, even if he is proud of his performances during the rest of a season that could end Sunday at the with him winning the European tour鈥檚 Race to Dubai title.
鈥淚ncredibly consistent again,鈥� he said of his 2024. 鈥淚 think I鈥檝e been really proud of that over the last few years. But then at the same time, you know, thinking about the ones that got away. I could be sitting up here with a fifth major title and I am not.
鈥淪o that stings and that鈥檚 something that I have to come to terms with, but at the same time I鈥檝e got plenty more opportunities in the future.鈥�
McIlroy goes into the season-ending event on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates with a huge lead in the Race to Dubai standings over second-place Thriston Lawrence, the only other player in contention for the title.
A top-10 finish in the 50-man field will guarantee McIlroy is the best player in European golf for a sixth time, tying with the late Seve Ballesteros and leaving him two behind Colin Montgomerie鈥檚 record haul. Lawrence has to win and needs McIlroy to finish tied for 11th or lower.
The older McIlroy gets 鈥� he is 35 now 鈥� the more he appreciates being regarded as a standard-bearer on the European tour.
鈥淚 probably went a few years not prioritizing it, and I think I might be a little bit closer to Monty that I am now but it鈥檚 something that I really wanted,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor ... every time that I come back and play on this tour I鈥檓 proud to be a member, and I鈥檓 proud to support as much as I can.鈥�
For that reason, McIlroy is planning a similar schedule for European tour events in 2025 that he had this year: Start in Dubai, play the Scottish Open, Irish Open, the PGA Championship and the Dunhill Links Championship, and then the season-ending tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
That means it will be events in the United States taking a hit as McIlroy looks to trim his schedule from 27 to 22 or 23.
鈥淚鈥檓 knocking on a little bit 鈥� I鈥檝e got the grey hairs to prove it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not slowing down at all, but I just have to take care of myself and take care of my body a little bit more.鈥�
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