Sept. 3 (UPI) — Golfer Rory McIlroy will compete in fewer tournaments after he said he “hit a bit of a wall” this season, he told reporters.
McIlroy made the comments after the Tour Championship on Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The No. 3 player in the Official World Golf Ranking tied for nnnth at the tournament, which top-ranked Scottie Scheffler won.
McIlroy, 35, has played in 22 events this season and has five remaining on his schedule.
“I feel like the tournaments came thick and fast, and obviously with the Olympics thrown in there, as well, this year, it sort of condensed everything a bit,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy said he typically likes to play a 22-event schedule, but now plans to cut back to 18 or 20 competitions each year.
“It’s been a long season,” McIlroy said. “I’m going to just have to think about trying to build in a few extra breaks here and there next year and going forward because I felt like I hit a bit of a wall sort of post-U.S. Open and still feel a little bit of that hangover.”
The four-time major winner won the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. He placed second at the 2024 U.S. Open. McIlroy placed third at the Valero Texas Open. He tied for 22nd at the Masters Tournament, tied for 12th at the PGA Championship and missed the third-round cut at the 2024 British Open.
McIlroy, who hasn’t won a major since 2014, was close to securing a fifth crown at the U.S. Open. He carded three bogeys over the final four holes to lose that opportunity.
That sour skid included several missed short putts. Bryson DeChambeau won the title, beating McIlroy by one stroke.
He fired a 5-under 66 over his final 18 holes at the Tour Championship and received a $1.6 million prizes. Scheffler earned $25 million for winning.
McIlroy plans to compete in the Amgen Irish Open from Sept. 12 to 15 in Newcastle, Northern Ireland.
