Rory McIlroy picks out dream home for golf retirement… but only after 10 more years at the top

Rory McIlroy is targeting 10 more years at the top of the golfing world — and after that plans to move closer to home having earmarked a London residence as his preferred location for settling down to family life.
The US-based Holywood star will be in his mid-40s by then, and along with wife Erica, has already purchased a home “in the London area” as he makes plans for his future outside the sport.

But fans of the golfing genius, who still harbours ambitions to complete golf’s grand slam by adding the US Masters to his US Open title, his two USPGA wins and his success at The Open, will be pleased to know the 34-year-old still feels his best is yet to come.

Asked to rate his play over the last 11 months, McIlroy gave himself “seven out of 10”. His one big regret was not winning the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club.

“I had the two wins and my best ever Ryder Cup,” McIlroy told Golf Digest Magazine.

“So I’ve been happy with the year. I’ll rue that miss at LA. I had a great opportunity to pick up another major and I didn’t.

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“But I’m not going to let that take away from the fact that it’s been another really consistent, solid year. My game is in as good a shape as it’s ever been.”

McIlroy heads to Dubai this weekend with the DP World Tour Order of Merit title, and £2m in prize money, already tucked in his back pocket. It is the fifth time he has topped the tour’s Race to Dubai.

McIlroy tees up at Jumeirah Golf Estates with an unassailable lead in the race to be Europe’s top golfer of the year.

“I probably would have liked to have won it another way,” McIlroy said during a pre-tournament press conference.

“But I’ve played well when I’ve came back over to the European Tour this year. I won two Rolex Series events and had some other really high finishes. So it’s really nice to have my name on the Harry Vardon Trophy for the fifth time and be just one behind Seve (Ballesteros) and still a few (three) behind Monty (Colin Montgomerie).

“To be up alongside them is really something. If someone had told 18-year-old Rory when I was making my professional debut in 2007 that I would have won five Order of Merits up to this point, I wouldn’t have believed them.

“It shows the consistency that I’ve played with over the last few years. Even though I don’t feel like I’ve had a great year, I can still achieve things like this.”

By the time a home in London does come calling, the golfing landscape will likely look a lot different.

And McIlroy will still have a key part to play in that following the merger of the USPGA, DP World and LIV Golf tours earlier this year.

But he’s not giving much away.

“The professional game has never been stronger or healthier or from a financial standpoint, there’s never been a better time to be a professional golfer,” he said.