Rory McIlroy has one goal for 2025: match Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele

Ahead of this week’s DP World Tour Championship, which will mark McIlroy’s last official start of the year, he laid out his goals for 2025.

When you reflect on Rory McIlroy’s 2024 campaign, what first comes to mind?

It’s certainly not his dominant victory at Quail Hollow in May. Or his early-season triumph at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, which he won for a record fourth time. His win at the Zurich Classic with Shane Lowry sparked intrigue and celebration, but it’s not what people will remember most.

It’s the U.S. Open, plain and simple. Fans will recall the short putts he missed on the 16th and 18th holes at Pinehurst No. 2, which kept his now 10-year-long major championship drought intact.

His near miss at Royal County Down and his playoff loss to Billy Horschel at Wentworth also stand out. But those illustrious events do not compare to the allure of the majors, where McIlroy has come up short so many times in recent years. He posted top 10s in all four majors in 2022, which includes his heartbreaking finish at St. Andrews. He then finished one stroke back of Wyndham Clark at the Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, a tournament many thought would go his way. And then, this past year, at Pinehurst, McIlroy looked like he would hold off Bryson DeChambeau, but then he faltered down the stretch, losing to the American by one.

“Incredibly consistent again,” McIlroy said when asked to assess his 2024 season.

“I’ve been really proud of that over the last few years. But then at the same time, you know, thinking about the ones that got a way. I could be sitting up here with a fifth major title, but I am not. So that stings and that’s something that I have to come to terms with, but at the same time, I’ve got plenty more opportunities in the future.”

He has an opportunity this week in Dubai, where he looks all but assured to win a sixth Race to Dubai title. It’s an impressive accomplishment in and of itself, as he will, in all likelihood, tie Seve Ballesteros in having six career Order of Merits. Only Colin Montgomerie has won more with eight.