As he makes yet another attempt at a fifth major victory, Rory McIlroy used his pre-tournament press conference before the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. to take stock of his PGA Tour career. In doing so, the Northern Irishman compared his professional golf journey to Tiger Woods' pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' 18 major championships.

“Not particularly,” he said in North Carolina when asked if he still has specific numbers or accomplishments he wants to achieve. “I've always said I still feel like being the most successful European in the game is within my reach. I've got obviously Seve and Nick Faldo to pass there in terms of major wins.”

Nick Faldo (England) won six majors in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Spain's Seve Ballesteros racked up five majors between 1979 and 1988. McIlroy won four before the age of 25 — the last coming at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla.

“I'm really proud of my body of work over the past 15 years and everything that I have achieved, whether it be season-long titles or individual tournaments or majors. Obviously getting my hands on a fifth major has taken quite a while, but I'm more confident than ever that I'm right there, that I'm as close as I've ever been.

“I wouldn't say I've got, like, a particular number of wins. I mean, I want to win as many golf tournaments as I can. I want to try to compete and win as many majors as I can.”

McIlroy noted that Tiger was on pace to shatter Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major victories when he won no. 14, the 2008 U.S. Open, at 34 years old. Of course, various physical and personal issues limited Tiger's tally.

“I think the only thing about trying to pick a number is that you're setting yourself up for failure or disappointment,” McIlroy continued. “Tiger wanted to surpass Jack. It looks like he mightn't get there, but are we going to call Tiger's career a failure? Absolutely not. It's arguably the best. He's played the best golf anyone's ever seen.

“There's always going to be that tinge of what could have been. I don't want to do that to myself. If someone would have told me at 20 years old I'd be sitting here at 35 and this is the career I've had, I would not have believed them and I would have been ecstatic.”

McIlroy, 35, has 26 career PGA Tour victories, on top of numerous accolades, including Ryder Cups and international wins. Currently ranked no. 3 in the world, McIlroy won back-to-back PGA Tour events this spring — the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship — though neither featured Scottie Scheffler.

This season, McIlroy ranks second on the PGA Tour in driving distance and total driving and third in Strokes Gained: Total.

“Still have a good a little bit of time here, hopefully for the next 10 years,” he said. “I still like to think I've got a good run ahead of me. Whatever those numbers are, whatever the totals add up to, I'll accept that and feel like I've done pretty well for a little boy from Northern Ireland that dreamed of playing golf for a living one day.”

McIlroy will play the first two days of the U.S. Open in a supergroup featuring Scheffler and the no. 2 player in the world, PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele.

McIlroy finished T23 (+6) in his one previous U.S. Open start at Pinerhurst No. 2, in 2014.