The hard part is done. With his 20th PGA Tour win at the CJ Cup, Rory McIlroy has all but locked up lifetime membership on the circuit. He just needs “15 years of active participation on Tour,” according to Tour regulations. That will happen after his 2022-23 campaign.

It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where McIlroy, 32, would ever struggle to maintain his Tour card, but the lifetime membership is good for the back pocket.

"It's pretty significant. I mean, I think when you can do something to achieve lifetime membership on Tour – I still need to play another couple years after this one to actually get it, but that's great," McIlroy said.

"So, by the time I'm 34, 35, not having to worry about minimums on Tour and being able to really set a schedule, and especially at that point when kids will be getting into school age and maybe wanting to spend a little bit more time at home, that's important. When you look to the bigger things in life, getting to that level, I can pick and choose where I play nowadays anyway, but that makes it even better and less of a burden, I guess."

McIlroy becomes the 39^th player with at least 20 wins on Tour and is T-35 on the all-time list. He’s tied with Greg Norman for seventh among international-born PGA Tour winners.