Rory McIlroy is eyeing a strong finish to transform what he calls a “pretty good year” into a “very good one,” as he aims for a record fourth FedExCup title.
While McIlroy has secured two PGA Tour wins this season, along with an early victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, the elusive major championship has slipped through his fingers since 2014. Despite several close calls, he’s still seeking that breakthrough moment.
Ranked No. 3 in the world, McIlroy enters the FedExCup Playoffs in third place in the season-long race, trailing World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, with both bagging majors this season. However, McIlroy is confident that a strong run in the next three weeks could redefine his season.
“I certainly don’t want to sit up here and belittle my achievements at all this year and what I’ve done, but at the same time, I expect a certain standard from myself,” McIlroy said. “I’ve won a couple of times, but I’ve had an opportunity to win a few more times than that and haven’t been able to get over the line.
“I would have liked to have added a couple more to that win column. But there’s still three tournaments left in this PGA Tour season. Even the three years that I’ve won the FedExCup, 2016 I came into the Playoffs I think in 36th and was able to win, but then ’19 and ’22 I was a little further up and a little closer to the lead.
“I think when the bulk of the season has come and gone and you’ve got this opportunity of three weeks to really flip the script a little bit or change the narrative and what that season means, I think that’s a motivating factor, and part of the reason that I’ve probably played well in the Playoffs for the last three years.”
Up and Down Season
McIlroy’s season has been a rollercoaster, beginning with a third-place finish at the Valero Texas Open before his Grand Slam hopes were dashed at The Masters. That top-three result was his only finish inside the top-18 during his first eight PGA Tour events of the year.
He found success in late April, teaming up with Shane Lowry to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and claiming a record fourth Wells Fargo Championship victory shortly after. However, his major drought continued, with a tied-12th at the PGA Championship and a heartbreaking runner-up finish at the US Open, where he lost a two-shot lead to Byron DeChambeau.
After skipping the Travelers Championship, McIlroy returned to finish tied-fourth in his Genesis Scottish Open title defense but suffered a surprising early exit at The Open at Royal Troon, leaving his season filled with both promise and missed opportunities.
“I think it was probably a slower start to the season than I would have liked,” McIlroy added. “Really didn’t feel like I got going until sort of April, May, and then I’ve played pretty good golf since then.
“A couple wins, a couple other opportunities to win, as well. Overall reasonably happy with the way I’ve played this year. Obviously I’ve got three tournaments coming up to try to turn a pretty good year into a very good year.
“I just have to finish off tournaments better. There’s been glimpses where I have done it. Like Quail Hollow, for example. The US Open, Olympics. I feel like this year and maybe the last couple years, I’ve just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time.
“That might go into preparation and trying to practice a little more under pressure at home. I mean, you go through these things in golf, and you go through these little challenges, and you just have to try to figure out a way to get through it, and my challenge right now is that.
“It’s really good but not quite good enough to sort of take home the silverware. It’s just something I’m having to work through.”
