Rory McIlroy believes he has a “few more years” left to compete at an elite level after his lucrative win at the Players Championship. The 35-year-old came through a three-hole playoff on Monday against JJ Spaun, sealing victory at the PGA Tour’s flagship event for the second time.
McIlroy banked £4.38 million at TPC Sawgrass, the second time he has won in America this year after prevailing at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Attention will now turn towards his quest to complete a career Grand Slam at the US Masters next month, which gets underway on April 10. The Northern Irishman has also targeted overhauling Scottie Scheffler as world No.1.
Indeed, despite now being considered a veteran of the game, after his latest win, McIlroy insisted he is playing “better than ever.” He also has no immediate plans to retire or cut down his schedule, insisting the emergence of new stars in golf has only hardened his resolve.
“The younger guys coming out are getting better every single year and I need to keep working hard to hang with them,” he said. “I’m doing a pretty good job of that. I feel like I’ve still got a few years left in the tank. »
In January this year, McIlroy publicly targeted three more huge career achievements before he even contemplates quitting the game. As well as triumphing at Augusta and with Team Europe at Bethpage in September, he also outlined his ambition to still compete at the top level in 2028.
Asked what continued to motivate him, he replied: “Winning the Masters, winning an Olympic medal and another away Ryder Cup. They are my three goals for the rest of my career.”
McIlroy was part of the European side that famously fought back in Medinah to beat America in 2012. However, that remains their only away win this century, and their talisman turned in a harrowing display in their Covid-affected defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.
The 2028 Summer Olympics, meanwhile, will be held in Los Angeles. McIlroy has previously admitted to changing his stance on the tournament, having controversially skipped the inaugural event in Rio in 2016.
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