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Rory McIlroy has enjoyed the best year of his career. His words, nobody else's. For the first time ever, he’d already won two PGA Tour events before the Masters in April, including the illustrious Players Championship, which is considered by some as the unofficial fifth major title.
His exploits at Augusta speak for themselves. Not only was it a first-ever Masters title, but McIlroy ended a drought of over 10 years for a major win, while also completing the career grand slam at the same time. Understandably, McIlroy struggled for motivation in the immediate aftermath of his iconic Masters triumph, admitting he was searching for his next “Everest to climb”.
An Open Championship in Northern Ireland certainly helped the golf ace regain focus, with the green jacket holder managing a respectable seventh-placed finish at Royal Portrush. His next trip to the Emerald Isle went significantly better, with McIlroy triumphing at this year’s Irish Open - a timely confidence boost for the Ryder Cup, which by this point was just around the corner.
McIlroy has never needed any invitation to get motivated for a Ryder Cup. From making his debut in 2010, winning the trophy on American soil with the Miracle at Medinah in 2012 and then becoming one of Team Europe’s best-ever players in the years since.
But this time around, things were different. Heading into the 2025 edition, the win at Medinah remained the last time any Ryder Cup team had won on foreign soil. Under the captaincy of the ever-meticulous Luke Donald, McIlroy and co. pulled off one of the most remarkable results in Ryder Cup history to end the 13-year wait.
Apart from a wobble on the final day, McIlroy stood on his head across the first two days of action, taking three-and-a-half points from a possible five. He did so while also negotiating some heinous abuse from a small - but vocal - minority of American fans in the crowd.
At the end of it all, McIlroy will end the year having chalked off two of his remaining career goals, leaving just one achievement left to complete. Speaking at the start of the year, McIlroy revealed he had three targets left on his list, including a Masters win and an away Ryder Cup triumph.
With those out of the way, the only remaining target is to step on the podium at an Olympic Games, representing his native Ireland. The good news for McIlroy fans is that it should mean he’s committed to playing until the next Olympic Games at least, which are pencilled in for Los Angeles in 2028.
And after his exploits on American soil at the recent Ryder Cup, what’s stopping McIlroy from chalking that final career goal off his list in three years' time?