Rory McIlroy’s 2025 season is shaping up to be one for the golf history books, and fans across the globe are still buzzing from his string of achievements. From the hallowed fairways of Augusta National to the windswept cliffs of Northern Ireland, McIlroy’s journey this year has been nothing short of spectacular. The 36-year-old Northern Irishman, whose career has already been filled with highlights, managed to add several more chapters to his legacy in a year many are calling his greatest yet.
It all began in April, when McIlroy finally conquered the elusive Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, capturing his fifth major title and, in the process, completing the career Grand Slam. That win placed him in the rarefied company of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods—just the sixth player ever to achieve the feat. The victory ended an 11-year wait for another major and silenced doubters who wondered if he’d ever get over the Augusta hump.
After his triumph, McIlroy was spotted back home at the iconic Giants Causeway, proudly wearing his newly acquired green jacket and posing with his trophies. The scene was a fitting celebration for a player who’d just joined golf’s most exclusive club. But the Masters was only the beginning of McIlroy’s 2025 resurgence.
September saw McIlroy delight his home fans by winning the Irish Open at The K Club for the second time, a victory that underscored his dominance on both sides of the Atlantic. Not content with just individual accolades, McIlroy then played a pivotal role in Team Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black in New York. He racked up three and a half points, helping Europe to a dramatic 15-13 win over Team USA and propelling himself to seventh on the all-time European Ryder Cup points list, with a total of 21.5 points. “It’s the best year of my career. It’s the best year of my life,” McIlroy said in the aftermath of Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph, according to TaylorMade’s ForePlay podcast.
Behind these headline-grabbing performances, there’s been a quieter revolution in McIlroy’s game. Long known for his meticulous approach to equipment, McIlroy spent much of 2025 experimenting with his TaylorMade drivers—switching between the Qi35 and Qi10 models, and even going without a driver at the US Open. But perhaps the most significant change was his switch to the TaylorMade TP5 golf ball. Adrian Rietveld, TaylorMade’s renowned fitter, revealed, “What you have essentially is a golf ball that spins a little more than the other, one that launches a little higher than the other, and every time in the past when Rory has tested both balls, he’s always wanted to play the TP5.” The TP5 provided McIlroy with better control on short shots and didn’t force him to sacrifice performance off the tee—a combination that may well be the secret to his remarkable consistency this year.
McIlroy’s trophy haul in 2025 didn’t stop at Augusta and the Irish Open. He also captured his first victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and added a second Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass to his resume. These wins, coupled with his Ryder Cup heroics, have put McIlroy in pole position to claim his fourth consecutive—and seventh overall—Race to Dubai title. Heading into the DP World Tour Playoffs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, he holds a lead over England’s Marco Penge, with the tantalizing prospect of moving just one title shy of Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record of eight Order of Merit wins.
But McIlroy isn’t just focused on the present. He’s already looking ahead to 2026, confirming that he’ll begin his season on the DP World Tour rather than the PGA Tour. His first event will be the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort from January 15 to 18, 2026—a tournament where he finished runner-up to Tommy Fleetwood in 2023 and is eager for redemption. "I’m excited to be starting my year in Dubai," McIlroy said. "The UAE is a place where I’ve enjoyed a lot of great weeks, and I’m sure this will be no different. I came very close to winning that week, so I’m hoping 2026 will be another really good year for me—and to start strong in the Middle East would be the perfect way to get it under way."
McIlroy will stick around in Dubai to contest the Dubai Desert Classic the following week—a tournament he’s won a record four times. These are his only two confirmed starts for early 2026 so far, but he will also play the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne from December 4 to 7, 2025, and the BMW Australian PGA at Royal Queensland from November 27 to 30, 2025. The DP World Tour’s wraparound 2026 season begins with the BMW Australian PGA, and McIlroy’s commitment to more international events reflects his evolving approach now that the career Grand Slam is in the bag.
Meanwhile, the 2026 PGA Tour season will look a little different. The traditional season-opening Sentry Tournament at Kapalua has been canceled due to severe drought conditions, with the Sony Open in Hawaii stepping in as the new curtain-raiser from January 12 to 18. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where McIlroy tasted victory for the first time in 2025, will serve as the first Signature Event of the season in February. While McIlroy hasn’t confirmed his participation at Pebble Beach for 2026, there’s a strong chance he’ll return as defending champion.
McIlroy’s ambitions don’t end with his playing career. Following Europe’s Ryder Cup victory, he revealed a desire to one day captain Team Europe—though not before his playing days are behind him. “Sometime, yes—certainly not 2027. I hope I’m still playing at that point,” McIlroy said at a recent press conference. “I would love to be the European team captain at some point, but that will be beyond my playing days—or at least when my playing days are coming to an end and I’m not good enough to make the team. Hopefully that’s not in 2027. Hopefully I’m still good enough to play and put points on the board for Europe.” He credited Luke Donald for revolutionizing the captaincy role and admitted, “If I can be nearly as good a captain as Luke Donald, I’ll have done a good job.”
Recently, McIlroy competed at the DP World India Championship in New Delhi, finishing tied for 26th and earning $38,000—eleven shots behind winner Tommy Fleetwood, who took home $680,000. It was a minor blip in a season otherwise packed with highs and silverware.
As 2025 draws to a close, McIlroy stands at the pinnacle of his sport, with fans and pundits alike wondering just how much more he can achieve. With his game in peak form, his schedule loaded with international challenges, and his eyes set on more history, the golfing world will be watching closely as Rory McIlroy writes the next chapter of his extraordinary career.
