McIlroy hints at big changes for 2025 after ‘post-US Open hangover’

Rory McIlroy has revealed that he is considering making significant changes to his 2025 schedule after feeling “burnt out” during a crowded finish to the PGA Tour season. Despite winning twice on the PGA Tour this year—first alongside Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and then at the Wells Fargo Championship—McIlroy’s wait for a fifth major title has now extended into a fifth season.

The 35-year-old golfer suffered a disappointing end to the U.S. Open in June, where he squandered a two-shot lead over the final holes, finishing as the runner-up. Following this, McIlroy took a three-week break—the longest of his season—before an encouraging performance at the Genesis Scottish Open was followed by missing the cut at The Open.

McIlroy also competed in the Paris Olympics, narrowly missing out on a medal, before participating in all three FedExCup Playoffs. His tied-ninth finish at the season-ending Tour Championship marked his sixth event in an eight-week stretch.

Reflecting on the grueling schedule, McIlroy told reporters after his final-round 66 at East Lake, “It felt like the tournaments came thick and fast, especially with the Olympics thrown in this year, which condensed everything. It’s been a long season, and I need to think about incorporating a few extra breaks next year and going forward because I hit a bit of a wall after the U.S. Open and still feel some of that fatigue.”

Despite this, McIlroy plans to make five more appearances on the DP World Tour this year, bringing his total to 27 events—his busiest season since 2010. Looking ahead to 2025, the Northern Irishman is eager to adjust his schedule to avoid a repeat of this year’s burnout.

Comparing his performance to that of Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy said, “He makes more birdies than I do and fewer bogeys, which adds up to him being slightly better right now. The one thing I’ve always admired about Scottie is the number of bogey-free rounds he has. He’ll shoot something like four-under-par with no bogeys—it’s not flashy, but it’s incredibly solid. When you’re not making a lot of bogeys, the rest of the field has to do something really special to keep up.”

As for the remainder of 2024, McIlroy is set to take a week off after the FedExCup season before returning to Europe for a series of events on the DP World Tour. He has committed to playing in the Amgen Irish Open from September 12-15 at Royal County Down Golf Club, followed by the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a week later.

In October, McIlroy will compete in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, where he will partner with his father, Gerry, in the team competition. His season will conclude with two events in the Middle East in November—the Abu Dhabi Championship from November 7-10 and the DP World Tour Championship a week later, both part of the Rolex Series—where he will aim to win the Race to Dubai for the sixth time.

Looking ahead to the Ryder Cup, McIlroy has his sights set on securing a spot in Europe’s team for the 2025 contest in New York. With significant changes to the qualification criteria, McIlroy is determined to secure his eighth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance as soon as possible.

Reflecting on Europe’s victory in Rome last autumn, McIlroy said, “I started thinking about Bethpage as soon as Rickie [Fowler] conceded that putt to Tommy [Fleetwood] on the 16th green. The qualification process has begun in Europe, and we’re all trying to rack up points early so we don’t have to rely on a captain’s pick. One of the things that worked well leading up to Rome was having the team set a few months in advance, so hopefully, we can do that again, and everyone will know their role well before we get to New York.”