Best Rory McIlroy major tips for 2025 after Race to Dubai victory

An emotional Rory McIlroy captured his sixth Race to Dubai title, third DP World Tour Championship and fourth Rolex Series event after doing battle down the stretch at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course with Rasmus Hojgaard in the final event of the 2024 DP World Tour season. Here, FIRST takes a look at his success and looks ahead to 2025 and the best golf betting tips you could place on McIlroy in the majors, and Ryder Cup.

Hojgaard had edged out McIlroy in his home Irish Open at Royal County Down just a matter of weeks earlier.

As McIlroy stood by the 18th green in Dubai giving his winner’s speech and paying tribute to some of golf's European greats like Seve Ballesteros and Collin Montgomerie, we could see just what picking up the Harry Vardon trophy for the sixth time meant to him.

McIlroy closed the 2024 season out in style, collecting almost £4m in prize and bonus money as he did so.

Rory’s Race to Dubai record

A tired McIlroy tied the late Seve Ballesteros with his sixth title in the Race to Dubai (formerly the Order of Merit) and is now just two back of the record that Montgomerie holds with eight 'Order of Merit' victories under his belt.

The four-time major winner said: “I’ve been through a lot this year, but I got the job done.

"I’ve been through a lot both professionally and personally. It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I have persevered this year, had close calls, wasn’t able to get it done.”

It's not the first time McIlroy has been emotional in an interview. He was teary-eyed at the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits when Europe suffered their heaviest Ryder Cup defeat in history under the leadership of Padraig Harrington.

It was unsurprisingly much the same when he missed the Open Championship cut at Royal Portrush in 2019 and then again this year when he lost out on his second Irish Open to Rasmus Hojgaard in front of his own fans.

Tears of joy for Rory McIlroy

This time though the emotions and tears were those of a happier nature. McIlroy called it a fitting end to a hard season in which he played 27 tournaments and implied that he, his family and his friends were set to have a good night in Dubai before a well-needed break.

Despite not picking up a major championship title in 2024 (which makes it 10 years now since the Irishman got his hands on a major title) Rory McIlroy still won four times, albeit one of those victories was in a team event with compatriot Shane Lowry.

He started and finished his season with wins in Dubai on the DP World Tour. He won the Wells Fargo Championship as well as the Zurich Classic alongside partner Shane Lowry. The 35-year-old came oh-so-close to pipping Bryson DeChambeau to win his second US Open and was also runner-up at his home Irish Open.

Despite this, McIlroy still saw it as a tough year on and off the course. He changed a few things with his swing and worked on his putting and wedge game. He also had some things going on in the background in his personal life which he had to deal with throughout the back end of the year, but he came out the other side.

“It’s been quite the year. I’m super happy with where I am in my career and in my life. I feel like everything’s worked out the way it was supposed to.”

What next for Rory McIlroy in the 2025 golf season?

Let's look ahead to the four major championship golf tournaments in 2025 and where McIlroy sits in each betting market after picking up his sixth Race to Dubai title and Harry Vardon trophy. There’s an obvious goal in mind for the four-time major champ so we will start with the Masters.

The Masters 2025

The Masters is the major McIlroy craves the most. Having had one hand on the trophy all the way back in 2011 the 35-year-old year old needs to don the Green Jacket to close out golf's major grand slam. Something that eluded him since his last major title ten years ago.

The Northern Irishman went into the final day of the 2011 Masters four shots ahead but failed to get the job done. His best finish in the Masters is runner-up in 2022. He can be backed for the 2025 Masters at betting odds of 87/10 at Mr.Play.

PGA Championship 2025

Rory McIlroy is a two-time US PGA champion. He has picked up two Wanamaker trophies and he will be looking for the hat-trick.

McIlroy will have no better chance given the 2025 PGA Championship venue is a place Quail Hollow and he has won at Quail Hollow golf course four times now. It is arguably his favourite golf course to play at in the US. Back McIlroy for the PGA Championship at 143/20 with Mr.Play.

US Open 2025

The US Open returns to Oakmont Country where Dustin Johnson won his maiden major title in 2016. Oakmont is one of the toughest tracks on the US Open rota.

Rory McIlroy won his US Open title at Congressional setting the low-scoring record at the time in a US Open. He might not be able to go quite as low at Oakmont where he missed the cut in 2016 but if you fancy the Northern Irishman, he can be backed at 159/20 to win with Mr.Play.

Open Championship 2025

The Open Championship and Claret Jug are already part of Rory McIlroy’s resume after he won at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He has a mixed bag in terms of his Open Championship record, but the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush will mean that little bit more.

McIlroy will want retribution for missing the cut in front of his own fans back in 2019 (a tournament that friend and compatriot Shane Lowry went on to win).

He hit an 8-over par first round but then shot 6-under par in the second round that year, only to miss the cut on the number. He was heartbroken in his post-round interview. If you fancy him to put that right at Portrush in 2025, you can back him at 179/20 with Mr.Play.

Ryder Cup 2025

After Europe’s triumphant showing in Rome in 2023, McIlroy will hope to lead the charge again when the event takes place at Bethpage Black course in New York in 2025.

Mr.Play have Europe chalked up at 27/20 to retain their crown and win away in the US for the first time since the ‘miracle of Medinah’ in 2012. USA are 17/25.

FIRST's top tip

If we look at McIlroy's record down the years, both in regular events and in major championships there is a bit of a theme coming to fruition. Soft, long parkland tracks are his cup of tea and both Congressional Country Club and Quail Hollow fall under that bracket.

He excels at courses where the driver dominates and coming in high with shorter irons is a premium. With the pressure of the home fans at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush and McIlroy openly admitting he can struggle in the wind because of his high ball flight, it might be tricky for him to get over the line there. He'll have similar pressure on him at the Masters with the grand slam on the line and Augusta National usually plays fast and firm.

Having missed the cut at Oakmont last time the US Open was there, you'd have to think the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow represents the best bet for McIlroy to grab his fifth major title at 143/20 (Mr.Play).

All-in-all Rory McIlroy had a very encouraging year in 2024 but he will be looking to go one better in 2025 and add at least one more major trophy to his cabinet.

Back McIlroy to win a major of any kind in 2025 at 2/1 with Boylesports.

Odds correct at the time of writing.