Tranlate this title Rob Lee tells Rory McIlroy what he may need to do if he wants more major titles in spanish

Rory McIlroy is still one of the biggest figures in golf and his quality is not really in question, but at 37 the Northern Irishman is now trying to find a balance between competing at the highest level and spending more time away from tournaments.

That balance has become a bigger topic during 2026. McIlroy has reduced his schedule and has been quite open about not wanting to arrive at tournaments without the motivation to compete properly.

The six-time major champion still produced another memorable moment in April when he defended his Masters title, becoming only the fourth player to win back-to-back at Augusta National. However, he has played much less since then and took another extended break after The Open.

He returned for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but the first week showed some rust. McIlroy finished 66th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and admitted that his swing felt worse as the tournament continued.

Things improved quickly. He finished third at the BMW Championship before sharing fourth place at the Tour Championship, five shots behind winner Scottie Scheffler.

Former European Tour winner Rob Lee believes those performances again showed how good McIlroy remains, but he also feels the experienced golfer may have an important decision to make about his schedule.

Lee says McIlroy may need to play more

Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, Lee admitted that McIlroy looked somewhat different at East Lake.

“He’s just slightly off that kind of affable, bouncy Rory that we normally see,” Lee said.

The former golfer believes McIlroy has reached a stage where golf is no longer the only important thing in his life. Family and other interests matter more than they did earlier in his career, but Lee stressed that McIlroy also does not want to lose the level that made him one of the best players of his generation.

“So his conundrum is ‘how much can I pare back my schedule, but still perform the way I know I can?’ That’s the place he’s in now,” Lee said.

“37 is still golfing prime. It’s going to come down, for him, to desire. How much does he still want it? And if he still wants it, I think he’s going to have to play a bit more.”

McIlroy has already made his own position quite clear. He does not intend to return to the schedule he followed when he was younger and recently admitted that three consecutive tournaments is now close to his limit.

“I think once you lose your enthusiasm to go to the course, it is time to take a break,” McIlroy said.

The world No. 2 also said he has sometimes played tournaments because he felt he should be there rather than because he really wanted to compete, something he does not want to repeat too often.

McIlroy still believes there is more to achieve

A reduced schedule does not mean McIlroy has lost all his ambition.

After defending his Masters title earlier this season, the Northern Irishman said he was more motivated than ever and described himself as excited for what was still ahead. The Augusta victory gave him a sixth Grand Slam title and came only one year after he finally completed the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy has also spoken about some specific goals that remain important. The Open returns to St Andrews in 2027, while Pebble Beach will host next year’s U.S. Open, and both tournaments have particular meaning for him.

Lee believes more Grand Slam titles are realistic, although that may require McIlroy to accept spending less time at home.

“I absolutely think he can win more majors,” Lee said. “But going along with that is you sacrifice your home life.”

There is also another player who could give McIlroy additional motivation. Scheffler ended the PGA Tour season by winning the Tour Championship and his second FedEx Cup, while remaining No. 1 in the world. Sky Sports analyst Sean Zak suggested that chasing Scheffler could become the next clear target for McIlroy after completing so many of his previous goals.

For now, McIlroy does not appear ready to dramatically increase his schedule. He has said he normally plays around 20 to 22 events globally and has also spoken positively about finding a better balance between PGA Tour and DP World Tour commitments.

His next tournament will be the Irish Open, followed by the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. McIlroy will then continue his season in Europe and the Middle East, with the Race to Dubai another important target before 2026 comes to an end.