Rory McIlroy has only three burning ambitions left in golf before he hangs up his clubs.
And one of those is winning an Olympic medal, something that has previously not been at the forefront of his goals.
Since turning pro in 2007, he has amassed a stunning array of honours, including four Majors, yet he feels there’s more to accomplish.
McIlroy has been a prolific victor on American courses, winning the US Open in 2011 before adding two PGA Championship titles to his CV.
The 2014 Open winner has also been the heartbeat of several of Europe’s remarkable Ryder Cup triumphs, having been part of five winning teams across seven contests.
He boasts 41 professional victories in total, with 26 stemming from the PGA Tour and in 2022, made history as the first golfer to win the FedEx Cup title three times.
And in Europe’s DP World Tour, no current member comes close to matching his six Race to Dubai victories, including a phenomenal trio of wins over the last three years.
And yet despite such success, he often faces the label of an underachiever, missing a pivotal victory in his otherwise illustrious CV – the iconic Masters.
For a decade, he has chased that elusive Green Jacket to complete a remarkable achievement of the career Grand Slam.
The Masters is the prize he covets most, but his ambitions are further fueled by the desire to clinch an away Ryder Cup for a second time and the dream of Olympic glory.
“Winning the Masters, winning an Olympic medal, and another away Ryder Cup, they are my three goals for the rest of my career,” McIlroy told BBC Sport.
His yearning for an Olympic medal is a poignant shift, especially since he once declined the opportunity to compete in 2016.
The 35-year-old golfing titan reversed his earlier decision, representing Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where he achieved a T4 finish as US rival Xander Schauffele claimed gold.
And last summer, McIlroy donned Irish green once again, teaming up with fellow countryman Shane Lowry at Le Golf National in pursuit of that coveted Olympic medal.
It is a profound change from his past sentiments: “I never dreamed of competing in the Olympics or winning an Olympic medal,” he admitted.
“So in my mind, a major will always be more important.”
McIlroy has significantly altered his perspective, acknowledging that Olympic triumph might truly represent his greatest achievement in a decade.
“It would be the achievement, certainly of the year. I think for me, it’s well documented that I haven’t won one of the big four in 10 years,” McIlroy said.
“It would probably be one of, if not the biggest in my career for the last 10 years.”
Of course, this former Olympic skeptic must hold his breath for the Los Angeles Games in 2028 – perhaps his last genuine chance at a medal – but the other two ambitions burn brightly on his horizon for this year.
As he embarks on his 2025 PGA Tour season at Pebble Beach this week, McIlroy is orchestrating everything to ensure he’s in peak condition when he steps onto the tee at Augusta on that fateful second Thursday of April.
“I’ve realised that all I can control is myself,” he said. “What’s right for me right now is to fully focus on myself and to get the best out of myself and get back to winning the biggest tournaments in the world.”
“I’ve been agonisingly close for the past few years without being able to get it done, and that is the main focus of this year.”
