The best thing to happen to Rory McIlroy in 2026? The answer comes with a twist

VIRGINIA WATER, England – In Rory McIroy’s words, “these are good problems to have.”

That is, finding the energy to pick himself up after winning the Masters. It’s the only pitfall, if you could call it that, to winning golf’s most sought-after major. And it’s happened now two years in a row.

“I find it pretty difficult. I certainly found it difficult in ’25,” McIlroy said on Tuesday at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the DP World Tour’s flagship tournament.

Indeed, McIlroy did, at least for six months. After his cathartic completion of the career grand slam via his 2025 Masters victory, a competitive and emotional lull followed. The Northern Irishman admitted he struggled to find motivation and, while he contended frequently, McIlroy fell short of another PGA Tour victory that year. He finally found momentum with an emphatic Irish Open triumph at the K Club in September followed by a starring role on Europe’s away victory at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

This year, following his second consecutive Masters, the 37-year-old’s performances have once again been solid without reaching his deservedly lofty standards. Since his sixth major triumph, McIlroy has finished in the top 10 only four times from six starts across the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

“I don't think I found it as difficult this year, but there was still an underlying … not for the major championships, but for some of the other events that you feel like you're just filling time to get to the next major championship in some ways, and that's hard because you don't want to feel like that,” the World No. 2 said in England.

“You want to bring the best of yourself every week, of course you do, but when you have success earlier in the year, sometimes it can lead to that [lull], or it certainly led to that for me at times.”

The valleys are understandable when the peaks are so high. While his 2025 Masters victory was career-defining, this year’s green jacket was sentimental for family reasons. His parents were greenside as their son became just fourth golfer in history to win successive Masters titles, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. They were not at Augusta in 2025. This year, McIlroy’s father, Gerry, was able to play Augusta National exactly seven days before that victory, given past champions can take a guest on the Sunday prior to Masters week.

“What is the best thing that has happened to me this year? Oh, my goodness. I would say winning … not even winning, just having my parents at the Masters, getting to play with my dad that Sunday before. Yeah, I would say that was probably the best. Yeah, having them there was very special.”

So, without a Ryder Cup this year to lift his motivation, and a lackluster T-41 at the Irish Open last week, what’s the motivation to close out 2026? How about chasing down Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed’s No.1 spot by the time the DP World Tour season ends in Dubai in November. Doing so would secure an eighth European Tour Order of Merit for McIlroy, equalling Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record.

“Yeah, obviously I'm in a very fortunate position, I guess, to be going for an eighth Race to Dubai,” McIlroy said. “I can't believe I'm sitting here with seven. So, yeah, I'd love to give myself a chance again.

“Last week [Irish Open] wasn't a great week for me in terms of the overall points. Patrick [Reed] had a good week [T-2], and I didn't have such a great week. I'm going to have to try to make up for that this week.

“I'm certainly motivated to play well for the rest of the year. Still working on some things in my swing, so just trying to have a balance between still keeping an eye on that but trying to play my best golf and give myself some chances to win.”

Does Reed, who has at times been a rival for McIlroy, add motivation?

“It doesn't matter who's up there,” McIlroy said of Reed, a two-time winner and frequent contender on the DP World Tour this year following his LIV Golf departure. “I think being second right now and being a little ways off first, that's motivation enough to try to finish the year off well,” McIlroy said.

After that, no doubt McIlroy will be thinking of April 2027. No player has ever won three Masters in three straight years. That’s a dip in form he’d be willing to risk.

“If I win the Masters again next year, hopefully I'm better at it [bouncing back from the lull] next year,” McIlroy said. “These are all good problems to have.”