Rory McIlroy Will Pick & Choose Limited Schedule

Rory McIlroy speaking to the media at a press conference at Muirfield Village ahead of the 2026 Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Whatever the new PGA Tour season of the future looks like, Rory McIlroy will continue to build his schedule to his own personal preferences - even if it makes it harder for him to win.

McIlroy admitted "I feel a bit like a part-timer" as he returned to action at The Memorial Tournament for the first time since the PGA Championship last month.

The Memorial is just McIlroy's eighth start of the year on the PGA Tour, as he makes his golf-life balance his priority - using his time after Aronimink to settle into a new house in London.

And McIlroy says that he will continue to "pick and choose" his schedule based on his own priorities regardless of how the new PGA Tour is shaped.

Brian Rolapp looks set to create a two-tiered PGA Tour of the future, with Track 1 events expanding in both the size of the field and in the number of tournaments from the current Signature Events.

McIlroy, though, feels he's earned the right to pick his own schedule, so won't be changing things around to play in more of these big events.

"I think with the Track 1 events expanded to 120 players, I mean, I think I would back myself to finish in that top 100 or whatever it is if I play a limited schedule," said McIlroy.

"I've been doing this a long time, I've been on Tour longer - more than half of my life at this point. So I'll pick and choose my spots like I have been doing sort of the last 18 months to two years."

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And McIlroy will stick to his plan even if it means making it harder for him to win the FedEx Cup - as balancing his family life and outside interests is more important.

"Does it mean it makes it harder for myself to win the FedExCup or whatever the season-long title race is going to be called? Absolutely.

"But I'm okay with that because it brings balance to my life and let's me enjoy things outside of the game."

How many events does McIlroy want to play a year?

Rory McIlroy acknowledges fans at the PGA Championship

McIlroy says he enjoys the flexibility of being able to add tournament starts on the PGA Tour at late notice if he feels he needs them.

Unlike the majority of American players, McIlroy also has commitments in Europe and globally on the DP World Tour - including events in Australia, India and the Middle East.

All of which he'll juggle to bring him to his preferred number of around 20 events in a year.

"I like that we have the option of the flexibility on this Tour," added McIlroy. "We don't have to enter events until Friday at 5pm before.

"So in the middle of the week before if you feel like you want to get some competitive reps under your belt, you can enter. So it is nice to have the flexibility.

"I play from January through to December with some of the commitments I have over on the DP World Tour, so over the course of that 12-month period, I would like to get it to around - 18 to 20 events seems to be a nice number for me."

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.