Rory McIlroy has downplayed the importance of his legacy, saying he doesn't care how he's remembered a century from now.
The six-time major winner made the admission during a pre-tournament press conference at Royal Birkdale ahead of the 2026 Open. When asked how he wants to be viewed in 100 years, McIlroy quipped, "No, I really don't care. I would like to think that the people who love and care about me think a certain way of me, but yeah, I'll be long gone. I'll be dead. I don't think I'll be seeing what people say about me. I'll be six feet under. I don't think I'll be a ghost."
This response is a departure from McIlroy's previous statements on the matter. In a March interview, he expressed a desire to be remembered as the best European golfer who ever played, naming Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros as the standard he measures himself against.
What happened?
McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam with his first Masters win last year, then defended the green jacket in April, becoming just the fourth man in tournament history to go back-to-back, joining Jack Nicklaus, Faldo, and Tiger Woods. The victory pushed his major total to six, tying him with Phil Mickelson among active players and slotting him into a 12th-place tie all time, alongside Faldo, Mickelson, and Lee Trevino. He trails only Harry Vardon among Europeans, sitting one major behind Vardon's seven.
Why it matters for Rory McIlroy
McIlroy's legacy is not the only thing on his mind as he approaches the Open Championship. He has openly discussed closing the gap on Vardon's European major wins record, which currently stands at seven. McIlroy has won six majors, and with a strong performance at Royal Birkdale, he could move closer to Vardon's mark.
What comes next?
McIlroy tees off at the Open Championship on Thursday, still chasing the record he says matters most to him. With a strong field and a challenging course, it will be interesting to see how McIlroy performs and whether he can make a move on Vardon's record.
McIlroy's history off the course is somewhat less contentious than many players of his stature, but it isn't spotless. He drew backlash in 2017 for playing a round with then-President Donald Trump, a decision he later said had nothing to do with endorsing Trump's politics. He also faced criticism for calling the Ryder Cup "not a huge goal" early in his career, a stance then-captain Colin Montgomerie publicly rebuked, and for skipping the 2016 Rio Olympics while suggesting golf wasn't among the events worth watching.
McIlroy also stirred debate in 2019 when he defended Patrick Reed after Reed was caught improving his lie at the Hero World Challenge, arguing the scrutiny Reed faced had more to do with reputation than the infraction itself. More recently, McIlroy has acknowledged rough patches on the course tied to life away from it, without pointing to any single cause.
Through it all, his public standing has stayed largely intact heading into Royal Birkdale, where he tees off Thursday still chasing the record he says matters most to him.