Rory McIlroy has no plans to play more golf and he is perfectly fine with that.
The six-time major champion returns this week at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio and made clear on Wednesday that his selective approach to the PGA Tour schedule is here to stay. McIlroy joked he feels like a “part-timer these days” but insists the balance it brings to his life is worth more than any title race.
“I’ll pick and choose my spots like I have been doing sort of the last 18 months to two years,” McIlroy said. “Does it mean it makes it harder for myself to win the FedEx Cup? Absolutely. But I’m okay with that because it brings balance to my life and lets me enjoy things outside of the game.”
This week marks only his sixth regular PGA Tour start of the year and first since a tied-seventh finish at the PGA Championship last month. McIlroy skipped the Memorial entirely last year for the first time since 2017, having also missed The Sentry and RBC Heritage earlier that season.
One of Two He Desperately Wants to Win
The Memorial Tournament is not just another stop for Rory McIlroy. He named the Jack Nicklaus-hosted event as one of only two tournaments left on his bucket list, alongside the Tiger Woods-fronted Genesis Invitational at Riviera.
His best finish across 13 appearances at Muirfield Village is a tied-fourth in 2016.
“I would say here and Tiger’s event at Riviera, they’re the two that I would love to win,” McIlroy said. “I always thought it would be cool to win here and take that little walk up the hill off the 18th green and shake Jack’s hand.”
He also spoke warmly about his long relationship with Nicklaus. “Jack and I share a nice history. We’ve known each other now for nearly 20 years. He’s been nothing but great to me and my family. This is certainly one I would love to get done.”
US Open Thoughts
This week is McIlroy’s final event before the US Open at Shinnecock Hills starting June 18. He visited the course earlier this week and came away hoping officials keep the green speeds under control.
“The greens are rolling around 11, 11.2,” McIlroy said. “I really don’t think they need to get much faster. If they can keep them at that speed and get them firm, I think it will be a great week.”
He pointed to the 2018 Shinnecock hosting as a cautionary tale, when greens became so slick that Phil Mickelson received a two-shot penalty for hitting a moving ball.
With a coveted title to chase and the US Open just around the corner, Rory McIlroy arrives at the Memorial Tournament with plenty to play for this week.
