Tranlate this title McIlroy: “I’m no longer excited about the Pga» in spanish

Rory McIlroy’s Open Championship was unlike his usual outings.

He was never in contention for the title; he made the cut thanks to a solid second round, followed by a decent third (69), and finished with an unremarkable even-par fourth round. This resulted in a final score of -1, leaving him in a tie for 40th place.

McIlroy, statements

Yet, throughout it all, the Northern Irishman never lost his cool nor his willingness to engage—whether with fans, playing partners, or the media—which is the most notable takeaway.

McIlroy hasn’t always had the best relationship with the press recently—even skipping a few press conferences—but this time was different; he went so far as to open up to the media about his state of mind.

When asked if he was no longer as excited about the PGA Tour as he used to be, his answer was unequivocal:

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He went on to explain that his priorities have shifted and that the new FedEx Cup format allows him to avoid playing in a large number of tournaments.

“Right now, the PGA Tour is constantly changing, both in terms of the schedule and its actual structure.”

“The changes mean it doesn’t matter where you stand among the top thirty heading into the Tour Championship… basically, I just need to be in the top 30 to have a shot at winning the FedEx Cup.”

This mindset explains his choices regarding which tournaments to play.

McIlroy did not compete in the 3M Open, and between winning his second Green Jacket and the 154th Open Championship, he played in only five tournaments, including two majors.

So, what is the reason for this lack of enthusiasm? “I think it’s a matter of ups and downs. There have been years when I paid closer attention, and others when I didn’t. Right now, I believe I’m at a stage in my career where I’m prioritizing other things.”

So far, McIlroy has played in 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule; he needs four more to meet the “bare minimum” of 15 required of US Tour members.