'Motivated' Rory McIlroy can't wait for first outing since second Masters triumph

[p]The Northern Ireland star said his repeat triumph at Augusta National last month "feels a lot different" from his 2025 victory, when he ended an 11-year major title drought to complete a career Grand Slam.[/p][p][b]"Even winning felt different," [/b]the Northern Ireland star said Wednesday as he prepared to tee it up in this week's PGA Tour Truist Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.[/p][p][b]"I felt like winning the Grand Slam was going to be this life-changing thing and in some ways it was, but in other ways I had to remember like, no, I still have a lot of my career left and I want to keep playing and keep competing.[/b][/p][embed guid="d1246966-9bb7-48a4-9b83-16bf96c373fd" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2052028556503314807" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"So this year was I think winning was validation for all the work that I've put in over the last few years to get myself back to this place where I'm winning majors.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm excited for the road ahead," [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]McIlroy[/a] added, looking ahead to next week's PGA Championship at Aronimink near Philadelphia as well as the US Open at Shinnecock Hills in June and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.[/p][p][b]"I feel like if anything I'm more motivated after what happened at Augusta this year than I've ever been."[/b][/p][p]World number two McIlroy has kept a low profile since his Masters win, opting out of the RBC Heritage and last week's Cadillac Championship at Doral, both elite signature events.[/p][embed guid="e6e0c85d-b223-467e-9893-ff3e411fc1b7" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2052034466181218624" social-type="twitter" /][p]He said he gave himself "a good 10 days to enjoy myself and the thought I needed to get back on the range and start to practice and get ready for this stretch coming up."[/p][p]McIlroy, who celebrated his 37th birthday this week, is chasing his fifth career win at Quail Hollow, where he won his first US PGA Tour title in 2010 and added victories in 2015, 2021 and 2024.[/p][p]He fell to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fowler-rickie/z9A2Fe31/"]Rickie Fowler[/a] in a playoff in 2012.[/p][p][b]"I really feel like this tournament got my career going, especially on the PGA Tour," [/b]McIlroy said. [b]"Getting my first win on tour in 2010, then it's been a pretty fruitful place since then as well.[/b][/p][p][b]"Some of my best days of my career have been on this golf course."[/b][/p]