"I would miss out" - When Rory McIlroy said he wouldn't want to live Tiger Woods' life

Rory McIlroy once said that he wanted to have a career like Tiger Woods but not a life like his. His reason was that he didn’t want constant attention, which would prevent him from enjoying many things.

For McIlroy and other golfers of his time, Tiger Woods was the yardstick, and every golfer aspired to be like him. The Northern Irishman was no different, and it has been quite a journey for him to become friends with the 15-time major champion, whom he looked up to while growing up.

A few years ago, when McIlroy burst onto the scene with his early major successes, he was compared to the 82-time PGA Tour winner. In one interview, former golfer David Feherty asked his fellow countryman if he aspired to have a life like Woods'.

"I'd love a golf career like Tiger's definitely," he said. "I think i'd find it very difficult if i couldn't go to the cinema or go to the shops or that's the things that i would miss out on if i had a life like Tiger's."

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What's next for Rory McIlroy?

While most top players will be resting now that the FedEx Cup season is over, Rory McIlroy will head to Europe for a few events on the DP World Tour. He will next compete in the BMW PGA Championship, the premier event of the European Tour, which will take place from September 19 to 22 at Wentworth Club in Surrey, UK.

Rory McIlroy had a mixed season on the PGA Tour, as it was underwhelming compared to his usual standards. He won the Wells Fargo Championship and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans but managed only seven top-ten finishes in nineteen starts.

The 35-year-old Northern Irishman also missed an opportunity to win the U.S. Open after missing three crucial putts in the final five holes. Additionally, he entered the Open Championship as one of the favorites but ended up missing the cut.

Earlier this year, McIlroy also made a couple of starts on the DP World Tour, winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record fourth time and finishing runner-up at the inaugural Dubai Invitational.

Here's a look at Rory McIlroy's performance this season:

• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: T66
• The Genesis Invitational: T24
• Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches: T21
• Arnold Palmer Invitational: T21
• The Players Championship: T19
• Valero Texas Open: 3
• Masters Tournament: T22
• RBC Heritage: T33
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: P1
• Wells Fargo Championship: 1
• PGA Championship: T12
• RBC Canadian Open: T4
• the Memorial Tournament: T15
• U.S. Open: 2
• Genesis Scottish Open: T4
• The Open Championship: CUT
• Men’s Olympic Golf Competition*: T5
• FedEx St. Jude Championship: T68
• BMW Championship: T11
• Tour Championship: T9