Player of the Year Rory has majors in mind

Rory McIlroy wants to win more majors in 2013 but admits that simply contending in all four would be a step in the right direction as he bids to follow up on the sensational season that saw him officially announced as the PGA Tour Player of the Year yesterday.

Just the third European to win the award, following Pádraig Harrington in 2008 and Luke Donald last year, the 23-year old became the youngest winner since a 21-year old Tiger Woods captured the first of his 10 crowns in 1997.

“It’s an honour,” said McIlroy, who saw off opposition from Woods, Masters champion Bubba Watson, FedEx Cup winner Brandt Snedeker and Jason Dufner in a vote by tour players, while Q-School qualifier and Mayakoba Classic winner John Huh won the Rookie of the Year gong.

“I guess it’s just a great way to end what has been a great year and my best season so far.”

McIlroy confessed he did not feel like a contender for Player of Year after playing poorly in the first three majors of the year as well, as suffering a slump in form in May and June.

But his season changed around as he finished fifth in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and took the US PGA by eight shots before winning back-to-back events during the FedEx Cup play-offs to secure the money title.

He went on to complete the money list double as he won last month’s DP World Tour Championship to secure the Race to Dubai crown.

“I think everyone knows my game wasn’t where I wanted it to be through the start of the summer and leading to the PGA,” McIlroy said. “I didn’t want to let this opportunity pass me because it was a great opportunity to win my second major. And from that I gained a lot of confidence, knowing that I could win my second major. And I went on from there.”

McIlroy is antepost favourite to become the first Irish winner of the Masters, where he has yet to finish better than 15th in four starts. But he’d also like to give himself chances in the US Open, The Open and the US PGA, which will be played at Merion, Muirfield and Oak Hill respectively.

All three venues will be new to McIlroy, who added: “They’re going to be three new experiences, three new courses, and I’ve just got to try and prepare for them as best as I can.”