Rory McIlroy says he has 3 goals to achieve for the rest of his career — one is a green jacket

There aren't many players who have accomplished more in golf than Rory McIlroy. Four-time major winner, 26-time PGA Tour winner, 18-time DP World Tour winner, seven Ryder Cup appearances. And on and on and on. But he still has three things on his to-do list before he hangs 'em up.

"Winning the Masters, winning an Olympic medal and another away Ryder Cup, they are my three goals for the rest of my career," McIlroy told BBC Sport in a recent interview.

The most talked-about item missing from the Northern Irishman's resume is a green jacket, so it's no surprise it's on his list. He's a Masters win away from the career Grand Slam — a win at all four major championships — something only six golfers in history have achieved: Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods. If he were to conquer Augusta National, he'd instantly join rarefied air.

And he has come close.

A solo fourth in 2015 and solo second in 2022 are just two examples, but he has yet to get it over the finish line.

As for the Olympic medal, he sniffed it in 2021 but lost in a playoff for the bronze. Last year, he tied for fifth. In 2028, the men's and women's golf competitions will be played at Riviera Country Club, the annual host of the Tour's Genesis Invitational — the event has been moved to Torrey Pines in 2025 due to the wildfires in Los Angeles. In eight starts at the Genesis, McIlroy has six top-25 finishes and three top-10s. It might be the perfect venue for him to grab an Olympic medal.

Finally, an away Ryder Cup. He could check that off later this year, as the Europeans will take on the Americans at Bethpage Black from Sept. 26-28. The last time the Euros won on U.S. soil was in 2012 at Medinah when McIlroy famously showed up minutes before his singles tee time against Keegan Bradley but still went on to win, 2 and 1.

"I've realized that all I can control is myself," he told BBC. "What's right for me right now is to fully focus on myself and to get the best out of myself and get back to winning the biggest tournaments in the world.

"I've been agonizingly close for the past few years without being able to get it done, and that is the main focus of this year."

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Green jacket among Rory McIlroy's 3 goals for the rest of his career