On Sunday, when Rory McIlroy made an eagle putt on the 72nd hole of the DP World Tour Championship to win a play-off with Matt Fitzpatrick, the Northern Irishman had already won. The world No. 2 in the rankings overtook European golfing hero Seve Ballesteros to win the Race to Dubai season title for the fourth consecutive year and seventh time, making him second on the all-time list.
McIlroy is inching closer to Colin Montgomerie, the all-time leader with eight, but he already has experience. of He has had every season in a career filled with accomplishments. But there the 36-year-old Grand Slam champion was, walking backwards as the ball chased toward the center and bottom of the cup.
“Come on!” he shouted as his clenched right fist flew into the air. The second fist pump was raised even higher, and the third response required the use of the entire body. At that moment, onlookers from anywhere on the planet could say without a shadow of a doubt: “Rory McIlroy cares.”
“I’ve said it many times this week. I could have come here the last two weeks of the year and relaxed a little bit and slowed down a little bit, but…I’m a proud guy and I’m proud of my performance on the golf course. I wanted to give a really good report on myself these past two weeks, and I feel like I did that,” McIlroy said after the final game of the season.
Compassion is not something that is usually celebrated, as it is expected of professional athletes. After all, this is their job, their craft, and something they spend every day perfecting. We believe they have an incredible privilege in doing the work they do. want What I’m doing.
But the level of care inevitably fluctuates during the long golf calendar, which begins in early January and ends just a few weeks before the so-called “giving season.”
Tiger Woods was perhaps the exception to this rule, but no one is immune, whether it’s a rookie looking to hold onto his card for the next few weeks, a journeyman playing professional golf since the financial crisis, or a host of athletes in between.
Now, consider that McIlroy has already accomplished just about everything this game has to offer, and his ability to care deep into the season, and therefore deep into his career, is even more amazing.
It is this context that makes it clear that Rory McIlroy did not make a mistake winning at the places he won in 2025: Pebble Beach Golf Links, TPC Sawgrass, Augusta National Golf Club, and the K Club. Each was one of golf’s most historic venues (he called it the “Cathedral of Golf” at the time), the PGA Tour’s flagship event, and the major championship he coveted (his sixth). Grand Slam champion in history), and the site of his first Irish Open victory.
Of course, there were other tournaments he really cared about this season. This final round of the DP World Tour Playoffs, the Open at Royal Portrush in his home country, other national Opens, and the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
With these performances, McIlroy showed that his biggest superpower isn’t an incredible drive ability, fine shots down the pitch or well-timed putting (which will skyrocket to new heights in 2025).
That’s his level of care.
To those who have helped us so Over the past five years in golf, McIlroy’s ability to sharpen his focus has been what He cares about things. That’s important to him. It’s important for the fans. It’s important to the game and its history. And that’s important for your opponents as well. Because when Rory McIlroy shows up to a golf tournament with his gauge “full,” not only does Rory know how much he cares, but everyone else knows.
