Rory McIlroy names PGA Tour events he might skip in 2025

Rory McIlroy is having a solid season. However, the 35-year-old feels like it is time to slow down. The Irishman has now revealed that he is planning to play less and has named some events he’s likely to skip from the 2025 PGA Tour schedule.

McIlroy is currently teeing up in his 26th event of the year at the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi Championship. Having played a packed 2024 schedule, the four-time Major winner is all set to cut back next year.

According to him, the ace golfer is set to skip events like the Cognizant Classic, the RBC Heritage and the Valero Texas Open, among others from his 2025 schedule. Apart from this, the golfer also might sit out the FedEx St. Jude playoff event in Memphis.

It is pertinent to note that McIlroy had hinted at a schedule reduction at the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship. Now, the golfer has revealed his plan to scale his season to 18 or 19 events.

Rory McIlroy told the Telegraph on Day 1 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:

“There’s a few tournaments that I played this year that I don’t usually play and that I might not play next year. Like, I played the Cognizant (Classic) in Palm Beach Gardens (formerly the Honda Classic), San Antonio (Texas Open) and Hilton Head (RBC Heritage).

"And I’ll probably not play the first playoff event in Memphis (the FedEx St. Jude). I mean, I finished basically dead last there this year (tied for 68th out of 70) and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings.”

McIlroy has celebrated three victories (the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, the Zurich Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship) from 26 starts in 2023 so far. Having also competed in the Olympic Games in 2024, the Irishman seems to need a break from the busy schedule starting next year.

It is also noteworthy that his announcement comes amid improved talks to merge the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The deal could lead to a major re-structure in the golf calendar if it goes through.

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Rory McIlroy says he is 'not getting any younger'

It is pertinent to note that this isn’t the first time Rory McIlroy has shown disinterest in the harsh scheduling. The 26-time PGA Tour winner had skipped two of the eight signature tournaments, while the circuit allowed players to sit only one out. His second absence led to a fine, that was cut from his Player Impact Program bonus.

The four-time Major champion has expressed his wish to continue playing in events like the Ryder Cup and tailoring his season to fit the big outings.

Rory McIlroy said:

“Well, at this point in my career… Hey, I’m 35 and have been out here for 17, 18 years, so I’m just going to go to the places that I enjoy and where I play well. Look I’ve done the hard slog, I’ve done that sort of 25 to 30 events a year. And I’m not getting any younger.”

It’ll be interesting to see how many events McIlroy sits out in 2025. Notably, Rory McIlroy has been an active presence on the PGA Tour ever since several big-name golfers defected to LIV Golf in 2022. The World No. 3 remains a fan favorite around the world.