'Something Went Terribly Wrong If I Have To Compete At 50' - Rory McIlroy Categorically Rules Out Playing Senior Tour Golf

It would be fair to say that Rory McIlroy does not have plans to continue playing professional golf past the age of 50.

The Northern Irishman - who turned pro in 2007 and has enjoyed an 18-year career to date - is still only 35 and reiterated his desire to continue winning more Majors as well as completing the other long-term goals he has set ahead of The Players Championship this week.

McIlroy won the PGA Tour's flagship event in 2019 and is keen to join the list of six golfers who can claim to be two-time Players champions - all of whom trail Jack Nicklaus as the only three-time winner.

During his pre-tournament press conference, McIlroy was asked about retirement in general before one reporter asked specifically if playing on the PGA Tour Champions or its equivalent in Europe would be something he would consider.

Uttered while barely suppressing laughter, McIlroy's reply was emphatic.

He said: "Absolutely not. I will not play Champions Tour golf. Look, I've said a lot of absolutes in my time that I've walked back, but I do not envision playing Champions Tour golf. Something has [gone] terribly wrong if I have to compete at golf at 50."

Although McIlroy suggested his retirement is still a long way off, the four-time Major winner admitted he will be "very happy to move aside" when the time is right.

However, choosing exactly when that is has been a decision which any number of athletes have wrestled with for decades. McIlroy, though, believes his gut will tell him and hopes the call arrives while he still has something to offer.

He said: "I think [I'll know the time is right to retire] when I've achieved everything I want to achieve in the game and I get to the point where I don't think I can maybe do that anymore.

"I'd also like to walk away with a little bit left in the tank. I don't want to be out there embarrassing myself. I'd like to walk away maybe a little before I should. Put it that way. There's always one more, but that's okay. I think if you can come to terms with that and walk away on your own terms, then that's a good thing."

McIlroy was asked questions about retirement a day after news broke that 49-year-old Tiger Woods had undergone potentially season-ending surgery on a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

Should Woods not play in any of the four Majors this term, his next competitive start would be 2026 - past the 15-time Major winner's 50th birthday.

McIlroy shared his disappointment at Woods' latest injury setback and believes the 82-time PGA Tour winner will certainly attempt a pro comeback before calling it a day.

On Woods' injury, McIlroy said: "It sucks. Yeah, he doesn't have much luck when it comes to injuries and his body. Obviously he was trying to ramp up to get ready for Augusta, and achilles surgeries obviously aren't fun.

"Hoping he's in good spirits and hoping he's doing okay. We obviously won't see him play golf this year, and hopefully we see him maybe play in 2026.

"He'll try. I know he'll try. But that's a question for him, not for me. I obviously don't know what's in his head. But judging by prior behavior, he'll definitely try."

Returning to the task at hand, the 2019 Players champion revealed he will stick with the same bag set-up which he used on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational - led by the TaylorMade Qi10 driver.

McIlroy tried out the Qi35 range at the top end of his bag last week but felt compelled to return to something more familiar and a club he admitted he fell in love with immediately.

He said: "Some years you vibe with a new piece of equipment a little easier. Like that Qi10 that I'm using that [TaylorMade] brought out last year, it was like love at first sight. I was like, 'this thing is amazing.' I think when you feel like that about a golf club, it's very hard to change into something else.

"It ebbs and flows. Some years it's easier than others. Look, they're all businesses and they're all trying to make money and innovate and try to be better. So I understand why the cycle is the way it is."

McIlroy was speaking the day after PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan outlined the current state of talks with the Saudi PIF and where the men's pro game could be heading in the next few years.

Likely to remain a key player at the top of whatever the sport looks like moving forward, McIlroy once again reiterated his view that a world game would greatly benefit golf, as would returning events like the Australian Open to the pinnacle of the sport.

Initially asked about how many times the world's best players should ideally play together in order to maintain fans' interests, McIlroy said: "I would say it's more than four.

"My thing is for golf to stay where it is and be relevant, it needs to be... it's a year-round calendar. It's got to be once a month if not more. I think 12 times a year or maybe a smidge higher than that I think would be a good number.

"And I think there's an opportunity for it to be worldwide. Yeah, I feel like golf isn't just played in America. It didn't start in America. It's played in a lot of other places in the world.

"Look, the main source of capital for professional golf is in America, so the reason that tournaments are primarily and the bigger tournaments are primarily here is because of corporate America and the dollars that it brings into the game to fund some of the biggest championships in the world.

"But I think there is an opportunity to have some of the bigger tournaments outside of America. Like I've always been a worldwide player. I play all around the world. I start my year in the Middle East. I come over here. I go to the UK. After the FedExCup Playoffs I go back to Europe and play four or five events.

"Yeah, there's an opportunity. I think we need bigger events in Australia. I think the Australian Open needs to be put up and sort of held to a higher... the Australian Open was always a very big tournament back in the day, and I think that could be one that could be elevated along with some others. But yeah, I think there's certainly an opportunity there to be a little more global and worldwide."