McIlroy to 'cut back' future tournament schedule

Rory McIlroy says he is aiming to "cut back" on his tournament schedule in the future after a congested 2024 programme which will have seen him compete in 27 events by the end of the year.

The 35-year-old was speaking after posting a closing 66 to tie for ninth place at The Tour Championship in Atlanta.

The four-time major winner began the year strongly by winning the Dubai Desert Classic and other highlights included taking victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in May.

He was second at the US Open at Pinehurst in June after a late collapse allowed Bryson DeChambeau to claim victory, while he missed the cut at the Open Championship at Troon in July.

McIlroy was joint fifth at the Olympics in Paris as he represented Team Ireland.

"It's been a long season, and I'm going to just have to think about trying to build in a few extra breaks here and there next year and going forward because I felt like I hit a bit of a wall sort of post-US Open, and still feel a little bit of that hangover," said McIlroy.

Asked how many tournaments is too many in one year, McIlroy replied: "27. I'm usually sort of like a 22 sort of person. But again, that was when I was sort of in my 20s and didn't have the responsibilities that I do now.

"I'm going to try to cut it back to like 18 or 20 a year going forward, I think."

The world number three still has a number of tournaments left to take part in during the remainder of the year, including the Alfred Dunhill Links at St Andrews in October.

"My season is not over, obviously. I've still got five events left to play," he said.

"But yeah, it's been, I feel like the tournaments came thick and fast, and obviously with the Olympics thrown in there, as well, this year, it sort of condensed everything a bit."