DP World Tour : Hero Dubai Desert Classic
Rory McIlroy says he has been “working on having fun” during his two-month break.
The World Number Three will tee up for the first time in 2025 at this week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic, where he is seeking a hat-trick of titles.
However, when asked what he had done to improve his game during the off-season, the Northern Irishman provided an unusual answer.
“I've been working on having fun,” he said. “Took a couple of trips on my time off. Went to a Borussia Dortmund game on Friday night.
“Just doing things that I've always wanted to do. You know, went to New Zealand for a few days, which was a lot of fun which I've wanted to do for a while.
“Honestly just trying to enjoy myself. It's the only part of the year I feel like I can really unwind and do that.
“There's plenty of time from now until April to knuckle down and get the game in good shape, and I just wanted to make the most of the time off.”
Asked whether the chance to become only the fifth player to win the same DP World Tour event, excluding WGCs, three years running and join Ian Woosnam (1990-92 at the Monte Carlo Open), Sir Nick Faldo (1991-93 at the Irish Open), Colin Montgomerie (1998-2000 at the BMW PGA Championship) and Ernie Els (2002-04 at the Heineken Classic) was on his mind this week, McIlroy revealed that making history was an added bonus rather than his main focus.
He said: “It's always been nice to start my year in Dubai. It's something that I've done most of my professional career.
“The last couple years to come here to Dubai, open the season, have success, obviously it's really nice to get off to a strong start to the season. That's the plan again this year.
“I think I talked about it the end of last year, and obviously winning the Seve Ballesteros Award, I think to be able to put my name up alongside the European greats of golf, Seve (Ballesteros), Faldo, (Bernhard) Langer, (Ian Woosnam) Woosie, (Sandy) Lyle, like all these guys, it's amazing.
“My goal is to go out and try to get the best out of myself and play as good as I can, and thankfully that's ended up in winning a few tournaments here and there.
“But my mindset has never been, 'Oh, if I do this, I will equal him, or if I do that'. I want to win tournaments, and it's really cool on Sunday nights to sit there with a glass of wine and look at all the names that are on the trophy and think that my name is alongside them. That's really cool.
“It's nice to knuckle down. I feel like my game is in good shape. I've been close to doing some really good things in the game of golf over the last few years. I have done some really good things.
“But I understand that the window is very slowly closing, and I want to make sure I do everything I can to have the best career I possibly can.”
McIlroy is expecting to have to overcome a more challenging set-up at Emirates Golf Club this week if he is to earn a third straight title.
“I love the thick rough,” he added. “I love the set-up of the golf course.
“The greens are quite a bit firmer today than they were on Monday. So as the week goes on, I think it's going to be a great test of golf, which I think we all want to play and I think that's what you all want to watch.”
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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