Rory McIlroy admits what he’s ‘very aware’ of about Scottie Scheffler as he rates his own season out of 10

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Rory McIlroy’s DP World Tour season will conclude at this week’s Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course in Dubai.

McIlroy was left disappointed at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after he finished four shots back of eventual winner Paul Waring.

McIlroy suffered a nightmare end to his second and third rounds, dropping five shots in the space of two holes on the par-five 18th and par-three 17th. Despite coming up short in Abu Dhabi, the four-time major winner is on track to claim his sixth Race to Dubai title.

Rory McIlroy rates his 2024 PGA and DP World Tour season

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As the 35-year-old closes in on yet another order of merit crown, McIlroy has taken a look back at his season as a whole.

McIlroy famously crumbled at the US Open, paving the way for Bryson DeChambeau to claim his second major championship title. The Northern Irishman also finished runner-up at the BMW PGA Championship and Irish Open.

There have been positives, however. McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship and also ran out victorious alongside Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The Wells Fargo triumph at Quail Hollow could prove significant, with the PGA Championship returning to the venue in 2025.

Speaking during his pre-tournament media duties, McIlroy was level-headed about how his season has gone.

“Yeah, incredibly consistent again,” McIlroy said. “I think I’ve been really proud of that over the last few years. But then at the same time, you know, thinking about the ones that got away. I could be sitting up here with a fifth major title, but I am not.

“So that stings and that’s something that I have to come to terms with but at the same time I’ve got plenty more opportunities in the future. But I still consider it a successful season.”

McIlroy added: “But I really just tried to focus on the positives this year of consistently performing at the highest level. You know, still having three wins with an opportunity to get a fourth here this week to win another Race to Dubai title. You know, did I achieve every goal I set for myself this year? Probably not.

“It would be a pass. It wouldn’t be a pass with playing colours. It’s probably an eight.”

Rory McIlroy makes Scottie Scheffler claim

Scottie Scheffler’s presence has made McIlroy’s task in 2024 all the more complicated. The metronomic American has made the game of golf look incredibly easy over the past 12 months, and the Northern Irishman is looking to use the two-time Masters winner as inspiration moving forward.

“You’ve got two guys at the top of the World Rankings down there winning two majors. You know, Scottie winning a Masters and a Players and the Olympics,” McIlroy added.

“They certainly separated themselves from the pack this year. I’m obviously very aware of that, and it only makes me more motivated to try to emulate what they did this year.”

With the PGA Championship returning to Quail Hollow, the US Open at Oakmont, and The Open heading to Royal Portrush, 2025 could well be McIlroy’s best chance to end his barren spell without a major.