Rory McIlroy closed out his major season at Royal Birkdale with a tie for 40th, capping off the year that went quite similarly to his last.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, July 19, McIlroy laid out exactly how he plans to spend the coming weeks.
He confirmed he will not tee it up again before the FedEx St. Jude Championship and revealed that the PGA Tour no longer commands the same pull it once did on his schedule.
For McIlroy, the two-week gap before Memphis is about his family.
“I haven’t really taken the time to enjoy that or celebrate that,” McIlroy said, referring to his Masters win. “Poppy’s got another four weeks off school until she goes back, sort of middle to end of August, so just going to enjoy the summer holidays with her and Erica. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”
McIlroy became the first golfer since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters titles when he claimed his second straight green jacket at Augusta National in April.
He said that his priorities have changed. The six-time major winner is choosing normal family rhythms, downtime with his wife Erica Stoll and simply being present for his five-year-old daughter Poppy over golf.
Rory McIlroy & Erica Are Very Close to Tommy Fleetwood’s Family
GettyRory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood celebrate with family on the ninth green during the Par Three Contest before the 2026 Masters Tournament.
One of the more personal moments from McIlroy’s Sunday press conference centered on Tommy Fleetwood, who was chasing his first major title in front of his home crowd last week.
Fleetwood, who grew up not far from the course, made three straight bogeys from the ninth through eleventh holes, ultimately costing him a shot at the Claret Jug.
“We’re very close with the Fleetwoods,” McIlroy said. “Poppy and Frankie are inseparable. Clare and Erica are best friends. Tommy and I have obviously got an amazing relationship that goes back nearly 20 years. He’s an amazing golfer. He’s just as good of a person as he is a golfer.”
“There’s a long way to go, but the McIlroys will definitely be cheering for Tommy,” McIlroy added.
They both own houses in The Bear Club’s community in Jupiter, Florida. Their children grew up playing together.
Rory McIlroy Weighs in on New PGA Tour Announcement
GettyRory McIlroy speaks to the media during a press conference.
On July 21, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Asian Tour jointly announced a new multi-year partnership set to run through at least 2029.
The agreement, effective immediately, builds on the existing Strategic Alliance between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, extending commercial and playing opportunities to Asian Tour members and establishing new pathways to the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour beginning with the 2027 season.
As part of the deal, the DP World Tour will resume co-sanctioning select tournaments with the Asian Tour starting in 2027, with full scheduling details expected later this year.
McIlroy, who has long championed a more unified global game, responded to the news with clear approval.
“Positive news, and great to see the respective tours working together for the good of international golf,” he said
The Asian Tour’s International Series had, since 2022, served as a pipeline toward LIV Golf, backed financially by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. With PIF confirmed to be stepping away from LIV’s financial backing in 2027, the Asian Tour pivoted toward its old partners instead.
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