Rory McIlroy names the two tournaments he failed to win last year that have actually helped him win four times in 2025

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Rory McIlroy has had an outstanding year in 2025 and when he looks back with his feet up when all is said and done, he can be a proud man.

McIlroy finally captured The Masters, won The Players with a ferocious display of playoff golf and then, this weekend, won the Irish Open in fine style.

Overall, it’s been a remarkable year for one of the world’s best golfers and but for the brilliance of Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy may even have found himself back at the top of the OWGR.

• READ MORE: Shane Lowry reveals what he told Thomas Detry about the Ryder Cup during the final round of the Irish Open

Still, McIlroy’s success has not come without sacrifice and prior heartache. Far from it.

In fact, he suffered a number of near-misses in 2024, including the BMW Championship and the Irish Open.

However, according to the man himself, those defeats have actually helped him.

Rory McIlroy says why 2024 defeats helped him be successful in 2025

McIlroy is always honest in his interviews and it’s no surprise to see him be so open about his past short-comings when needed.

Indeed, speaking to the press after winning the Irish Open, McIlroy reflected on those 2024 near-misses and admitted in a way, they helped.

“I think those were important, you know. The loss at the Irish Open, the loss at Wentworth, because of those is why I’m having the year I’ve had. So the more that you put yourself in these positions to win, the more it’s going to happen,” McIlroy said.

“Look, it’s not going to happen all the time but it’s going to…you know…the more you put yourself in those positions, the more it will fall your way.

“I just think, you know, I’ve got a lot of experience in those situations and I can just handle them a little bit better nowadays and that’s the reason why I’m picking up a few more trophies.”

• READ MORE: Rory McIlroy could not have changed his mind more about the Ryder Cup after his comments from 2011 resurface

Rory McIlroy’s 2025 on the PGA Tour in numbers

Rory McIlroy has had one of the best years of his career.

On the PGA Tour side of things, he has been a huge success, winning three times and making 15 out of 16 cuts available, with his only missed cut coming at the RBC Canadian Open.

McIlroy has also had eight top ten finishes, won a major at Augusta, and won a whopping $16.9m in prize money.

Throw in the Irish Open win this week and DP World Tour Championship at the back end of 2024, and we’re looking at a player with five wins in a calendar year with a Ryder Cup still to come.

Should McIlroy help lead Europe to the win at Bethpage Black, then this will truly be the greatest year he’s ever had.