McIlroy says he will play fewer events in '13

• By Ryan Lavner
• Oct 15, 2012 12:17 PM ET

Expect the jet-setting ways of Rory McIlroy to continue next season – just perhaps not to this extent.

According to ESPN UK, the world No. 1 is planning to trim his schedule even more in 2013, to a maximum of 22-23 worldwide events, in order to stay fresh and focus on the bigger, late-season tournaments. Still unclear is which events he would cut.

“It has been a great season and I am ready to be done,” he said, according to the report. “It is just such a long season these days. But then I feel I have an obligation to play some of these big events leading up to Dubai. However, I won’t find it tough to get myself up for my last events as I want to especially win the Race to Dubai after coming close a few times.”

McIlroy, 23, is still in line to match Luke Donald’s feat of winning the money title on both sides of the Atlantic. But after a listless performance in Turkey – including a six-stroke loss in a highly touted match against Tiger Woods – the Northern Irishman conceded that he struggles to muster enough enthusiasm each time he tees it up.

“The level of intensity (Tiger) displays is impressive as he can just turn it on,” he said, according to the report. “It’s something that I struggle to do sometimes.”

McIlroy has already played 21 worldwide tournaments this season, not including the Ryder Cup. Next on his schedule is the BMW Shanghai Masters, the first of four events he’s planning to play as the Race to Dubai wraps up in late November. He played 16 PGA Tour events and topped the money list, at $8,047,952.