3<\/p>\n McIlroy is set to fall short of the 15 event threshold to keep his DP World Tour membershipCredit: Getty<\/p>\n This left some question marks over his future, as per the “home tour ruling”, the Northern Irishman is required to play 15 tournaments a year in the United States. <\/p>\n In doing so, he is able to be granted unlimited releases to play DP World Tour<\/a> events at any time he chooses to do so. <\/p>\n However, the 37-year-old has scaled back the amount of golf he has played in the US over the past couple of years. <\/p>\n In 2024, he played 19 PGA Tour events, and in 2025, he reduced that number to 16. <\/p>\n READ MORE GOLF<\/p>\n But this year, McIlroy, who became only the fourth golfer to claim back-to-back Green Jackets<\/a> with his Masters victory – has skipped three Signature Events this season.<\/p>\n That includes this week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, where he had one of his best performances back in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n In total, he has competed in just nine PGA Tour tournaments to date, though he is set to feature in both The Scottish Open – co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour – and The Open Championship<\/a> at Royal Birkdale in July, which will take his tally to 11.<\/p>\n He is also expected to play the FedEx Cup playoffs in August, which is comprised of three events, including the FedEx St Jude Championship, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship.<\/p>\n But, having already revealed that he does not plan to play the 3M Open or the Wyndham Championship, this leaves just three remaining playoff events, which, should he compete in them all, would leave him one shy of the 15 event minimum threshold. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been doing this a long time, I\u2019ve been on Tour longer \u2013 more than half of my life at this point. So I\u2019ll pick and choose my spots like I have been doing sort of the last 18 months to two years,\u201d McIlroy said earlier this month<\/a>. <\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n McIlroy may only compete in 14 PGA Tour events this yearCredit: Getty<\/p>\n “Does it mean it makes it harder for myself to win the FedExCup or whatever the season-long title race is going to be called? Absolutely. But I’m okay with that because it brings balance to my life and let’s me enjoy things outside of the game.”<\/p>\n Little-known rule could be enacted upon<\/p>\n Not meeting the threshold would usually cost him his membership for the following season, such as when Seve Ballesteros<\/a> was banned for an entire season in 1986 after playing in just nine events the previous year. <\/p>\n At the time, Ballesteros was the world number one, so it made the PGA Tour’s call to ban him a hugely bold one. <\/p>\n In McIlroy’s case, things are very different, not least with things looking very defeat for the PGA Tour in the years ahead.<\/p>\n Tiger Woods was part of the announcement this week that is promising a tiered structure to the tour,<\/a> while McIlroy has led much of the conversation around change since the arrival of LIV Golf.<\/p>\n Additionally, tere is something of a loophole in the rules that he could perhaps use to get away with it.<\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n McIlroy feels he’s earned the right to decide when he does and doesn’t playCredit: Getty<\/p>\n According to Bog Harig of The Daily Drive<\/a>, the PGA Tour player handbook has a little-known rule that allows international golfers who fall short of the 15 minimum event threshold to submit an application to the commissioner to aprove. <\/p>\n However, this can only be done for ‘medical reasons or other extraordinary circumstances.’<\/p>\n McIlroy suffered a back injury earlier this year which forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational during the event.<\/p>\n It also put his bid to defend the PLAYERS Championship in jeopardy, though he would feature, going on to finish in T46, 13 shots behind winner<\/a> Cameron Young<\/a>.<\/p>\n Utimately, McIlroy is doing everything on his own terms. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll always look at the schedule at the start of the year and see what best fits me and my life and everything else that I sort of do, whether it\u2019s with family or other opportunities that I\u2019m pursuing outside of golf. I\u2019ll always look at that,\u201d he said at the Tour Championship last August. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll always choose the schedule that best fits me, and this year [2025] that meant skipping a few signature events. I might skip less [in 2026]. I might skip the same amount, I don\u2019t know. <\/p>\n Read More on talkSPORT<\/p>\n “It\u2019s all just \u2014 the luxury of being a PGA Tour player is we are free to pick and choose our schedule for the most part, and I took advantage of that this year and I\u2019ll continue to take advantage of that for as long as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/rory-mcilroy-northern-ireland-plays-1090054359.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/rory-mcilroy-northern-ireland-plays-1080682175.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/rory-mcilroy-northern-ireland-hits-1081308733.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n