Rory McIlroy issues defiant statement as three more milestones eyed before retirement
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Rory McIlroy has listed the three biggest achievements he wants to tick off before he walks away from professional golf.
The 35-year-old has been performing at the top of the game ever since he first broke onto the PGA Tour in 2007.
He's managed to finish inside the top 10 of at least one major every season and came agonisingly close to winning his fifth title at last year's US Open.
McIlroy is back in action this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as he gets his preparations for the Masters underway.
And the Northern Irishman has his sights set on breaking his duck at Augusta to become just the sixth golfer to win the Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy has big aims for his twilight years
Getty"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.
He added: "I've realised that all I can control is myself.
"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 that is the main focus of this year."
McIlroy has altered his schedule for the 2025 season to focus on being better prepared for the four majors.
Augusta is the ultimate goal for the Northern Irishman having come so close on several occasions.
But the 26-time PGA Tour winner believes he may have figured out what he's been missing at the first major of the year.
"All of my practice, all of my prep, even the tournaments that I'm playing, it's all geared towards being ready for those four events," McIlroy said.
"Augusta is Augusta. I've gone through my stats and there are a couple of things that were pointed out to me that I could definitely get better at - certain little shots around the greens."
Masters: Rory McIlroy is looking to win at Augusta for the very first timeGETTYMcIlroy's 2025 season will end with the hotly-anticipated 2025 Ryder Cup, which is being held at Bethpage in New York this September.
The last five Ryder Cups have been won by the home team with Europe last winning away from home in a famous victory back in 2012.
McIlroy was part of the 'Miracle of Medinah' having finished with three points and he feels Luke Donald's side have a great opportunity to do something similar this year.
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PA"You have heard me say this so many times, but one of the greatest achievements in the game right now is to win an away Ryder Cup and we have an opportunity to do that this year," he said.
"I think there's one thing holding serve at home, which we've been able to do quite consistently. It's a huge task [away from home].
"It's a very strong American team, a very partisan crowd. But we've got a wonderful captain and we're going to have a wonderful team and we're relishing the challenge."
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