By the end of the 2025 season, Rory McIlroy had possibly cleared his entire bucket list. One could argue that there is essentially nothing left for him to prove to anyone. Well, except for one final mountain that still belongs to a legendary Colin Montgomerie.

“There’s very little left for him after winning all the majors (completing the career grand slam with his Masters success in April) and having won the Ryder Cup away twice, as he has in 2012 and 2025. There’s one record left, and that is that eight or nine Orders of Merit, and I am sure that if he keeps fit and well, he will attain it, and I will make sure I am in Dubai and hand over that ninth trophy to him on the green,” Montgomerie told The Scotsman.

Montgomerie currently holds the record with eight Order of Merit titles and sees McIlroy as a rightful successor. Rory won his seventh R2D title this season. The veteran promised he will personally fly to Dubai for a special ceremony to hand McIlroy the trophy if he breaks the record of eight titles. The bond between the two actually stretches back to Wales, fifteen years ago.

Montgomerie captained a young, curly-haired McIlroy during his rookie Ryder Cup in 2010 and watched the youngster earn a crucial half-point to help Europe win at Celtic Manor. “It was my honor to captain him as a rookie in the Ryder Cup in 2010 (at Celtic Manor), and from then on I have followed his career very closely,” Montgomerie shared. “What talent he has, and I am sure in years to come he will not just tie my record next year but possibly break it in the years to come. If there was one to break that record, I would rather it be him.

The path to this moment was paved by an incredible 2025 season. McIlroy, who defended his Race to Dubai last year, entered the season-ending DP World Tour Championship with a 767-point advantage over Marco Penge and over a 1700-point advantage over Tyrrell Hatton. With both falling short, McIlroy finally won his seventh Harry Vardon Trophy. This moved him past Seve Ballesteros, leaving him emotional, and he now sits alone in second place with only Montgomerie ahead of him.

Passing Seve Ballesteros was an emotional moment for the current world number two. “To equal him [Ballesteros] last year was cool, but to surpass him this year, yeah, I didn’t get this far in my dreams,” McIlroy said after winning his seventh title. Rory also admitted Montgomerie’s record now seems within touching distance after his consistent play, and he knows he has a few more good years to catch him.

“It [Montgomerie’s record] seems within touching distance now. I’d love to be the winningest European in terms of Order of Merits and season-long races. I’ve probably got a few more good years left in me, and hopefully I can catch him and surpass him,” McIlroy added.

So, the chase is officially on for number eight and eventually number nine. Before that happens, Rory knows how to pay respect to those who came before him and set the bar.

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Rory McIlroy warmly honors Colin Montgomerie

Montgomerie won this award a remarkable seven straight times from 1993 to 1999, then won his eighth in 2005. Rory McIlroy thinks this achievement doesn’t get enough attention; it should.

“There are a lot of people who can have a good year run or a good two-year run, but to sustain that for seven years straight and win eight Order of Merits… [that] probably doesn’t get talked about enough… Especially in that golden age of European golf where he’s going up against [Nick] Faldo and [Sandy] Lyle and [Bernard] Langer and Woosie [Ian Woosnam],” the Irishman mentioned.

Rory will make three DP World Tour appearances in the coming months. It is starting with the Australian Open on December 4th. Then McIlroy will take part in the Dubai Invitational from 15th January to 18th January. And at last, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on January 22. And this season, McIlroy will get his chance to defend the Masters this April for the first time in the Tour’s history.