Rory McIlroy is set to significantly cut his 2025 schedule and could skip an event he was fined $3 million for missing last year.

Speaking after the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships on Thursday, the World No.3 suggested he would only play events he enjoys next year.

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Northern Irish took to the field PGA Tour Since 2007, he now feels the need to limit the amount he plays to avoid the ‘drudgery’ of attending up to 30 events.

McIlroy next week DP World Tour This year’s Dubai Championship will be the 27th competition.

“There are a few tournaments I’ve played this year that I don’t usually play in and I may not play next year,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“For example, I played Cognizant (Classic) in Palm Beach Gardens, (Texas Open) in San Antonio and (RBC Heritage) in Hilton Head.

“And I probably won’t play in the first playoff game in Memphis. I mean, I finished the year pretty much dead there and only one spot out of the playoff standings.”

“At this point in my career… Hey, I’m 35 and I’ve been here 17, 18 years, so I’m going to go to places I enjoy and play well.

“Look, I made a lot of effort, I did 25 to 30 such events a year. And I’m not getting younger anymore.”

McIlroy was fined 18 months ago for leaving RBC Heritage late.

The event is staged the following week masters and a missed cut at the major in 2023 forced the upset star to return home for the sake of her mental and emotional health.

PGA Tour rules that year stated that top players were allowed to skip a ‘Signature Event’ – but this was McIlroy’s second no-show of the season.

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This forced him to give up 25 percent of his PIP (Player Impact Program) bonus, which was approximately $12 million, and as a result he was fined $3 million.

He admitted at the time that he ‘knew the consequences’ of skipping Inheritance and described it as an ‘easy decision’.

“I had reasons not to play Hilton Head and I expressed them to Jay,” McIlroy said, noting his conversation with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“It was an easy decision, but I felt like this punishment or what was going to happen was worth it for me to get some things in place.”

The tournament is no longer mandatory, he can miss it again if he wants.

Ahead of his appearance in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy spent three weeks locked in the studio He wants to perfect his golf swing at home in Florida.

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He hasn’t won one of the four majors since his 2014 PGA Championship victory, and being in the studio allowed him to focus entirely on his body movements without being distracted by the flight of the ball.

“It’s just something that will make my golf swing more efficient, and if it’s more efficient it means it won’t break down as much under pressure,” he explained.

By making adjustments to his swing and a lighter schedule in 2025, McIlroy could put himself in a position to end his decade-long wait for another major.