Rory McIlroy has turned his attention toward ending both his PGA Tour and DP World Tour campaigns on a high note after a lackluster performance at the 154th Open Championship left him feeling "stuck in neutral" for much of the week. Entering Royal Birkdale as one of the pre‑tournament favorites, the Northern Irish star was hoping to capture his second major of the year and his first Open title since 2014, especially after successfully defending his Masters crown in April. Instead, he never managed to get into contention and ultimately finished well off the pace.
The two‑time world number two opened the tournament with a 72, a score that put him on the back foot from the start. He responded with a brilliant 67 in the second round and a solid 69 in the third, which catapulted him into a position eight strokes behind the leader, Sam Burns, heading into the final day. However, a one‑over 71 on Sunday saw McIlroy slip further down the leaderboard, confirming a weekend that was more frustrating than rewarding. "I was sort of stuck in neutral for most of the week," McIlroy confessed in the post‑round interview.
"I did manage a good round on Friday that got me back into the mix for the weekend, but even shooting even par over the last two days wasn’t enough to change the story. Every time I tried to build some momentum, a bogey would pop up and derail me.
It was one of those weeks where I just couldn’t get it going." Since his historic back‑to‑back victories at Augusta in 2022 and 2023—making him the first player since Tiger Woods to repeat as Masters champion—McIlroy’s results have been a mixed bag. In his six worldwide starts following those triumphs, his best finish has been a tie for seventh place, a result he recorded at the PGA Championship. He also missed the cut to contend at the U.S. Open, underscoring a period of inconsistency after his major‑winning run.
Looking ahead, McIlroy said his immediate focus will shift to the FedExCup Playoffs on the PGA Tour before he returns to the DP World Tour for a pair of September events: the Amgen Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship. He emphasized that the season feels very similar to the previous year, noting, "I won the first major of the year and then kind of fell off a little bit after that. When you win a major, you have to be pleased about that, but you also have to keep moving forward." McIlroy also spoke about his personal life, revealing that he plans to spend more quality time with his family over the summer. "My daughter Poppy has another four weeks off school, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the summer holidays with her and Erica.
That’s what I’m most excited about right now," he said. On the competitive side, he remains optimistic about his standing in both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour points races.
"I’m still in a decent position in both title races," he asserted. "As long as I’m in the top 30 heading into the Tour Championship, I’ll have a shot at the FedExCup. Likewise, I’m in a good spot in the Race to Dubai. I’ll keep playing hard until the end of the season and aim to win one or both of those titles." One logistical challenge McIlroy faces is that he will fall short of the PGA Tour’s 15‑event minimum for the 2026 season, having logged only 11 starts so far.
He admitted uncertainty about any potential penalties for not meeting the requirement but seemed unfazed. "There have been years when I focused more on the PGA Tour and years when I didn’t," he explained.
"I’m at a stage in my career where I prioritize other things as well. The PGA Tour is undergoing a lot of changes in its schedule and structure, and it doesn’t matter where you stand in the top 30 going into the Tour Championship. All I need is to be in the top 30 to have a chance at the FedExCup, so I’m not overly concerned about the first two events. I made that decision last year and I’m sticking with it." The next stop on McIlroy’s schedule is the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, which kicks off on Thursday.
Early coverage will be available on Sky Sports+, with a transition to Sky Sports Golf later in the evening. The 3M Open is part of a triple‑header of live golf on Sky Sports, alongside the ISPS Handa Senior Open and the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.
The women’s major season will conclude with the AIG Women’s Open from July 30 to August 2, also broadcast on Sky Sports Golf. In summary, while The Open at Royal Birkdale did not deliver the results McIlroy hoped for, he remains determined to finish the season strongly on both tours. By focusing on the FedExCup Playoffs, the upcoming DP World Tour events, and enjoying time with his family, he hopes to convert his early‑season major success into additional titles before the year ends.