Rory McIlroy has made a promise to fans ahead of this year’s Ryder Cup against the USA in September.
The Northern Irishman recently completed a career grand slam after he won The Masters in April, but has failed to win a tournament since.
His main rival, Scottie Scheffler, has won four tournaments since The Masters, including the Open Championship on Sunday, where he finished 17 under par.
If Team Europe are to recreate their 2023 triumph, then they will need Rory McIlroy to be at his very best if they are to have a chance of winning the competition for a second consecutive time.
Rory McIlroy already preparing for Ryder Cup
Rory McIlroy has revealed that he will be switching focus over the next few months to ensure he is completely ready for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
McIlroy, 36, still has the FedEx playoff cup to play in August, but he claims his focus will be the Ryder Cup in September.
Speaking after the Open Championship concluded, he said: “I don’t want to play too much leading up to that because I want to be fresh, so I’m looking forward to a few weeks off here.
“I’ll reflect on what’s already been a good year and start to get myself ready for that run up to the Ryder Cup.”
McIlroy also believes his sharp form he found at the start of the year has returned, but insists Scheffler’s success is not a motivating factor. He added: “Yeah, I do feel good – but I also had the three wins when Scottie wasn’t quite on his game.
“All I can do is focus on myself and try to play the best golf that I can. I know that, when I do that, I’ll have my weeks where I’ll contend and hopefully win.
“I’ve gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug and that’s just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.”
Rory McIlroy and his history with the Ryder Cup
McIlroy has had his fair share of success competing for Team Europe over the years.
He has represented them since 2010 and has won the competition five times, the most recent of these in 2023.
The 36-year-old has won 16 of his 33 matches when he has appeared at the competition, winning a total of 18 points.
The Ryder Cup returns from September 26–28, as Team Europe and Team USA go head-to-head once again in golf’s most fiercely contested team event.