Rory McIlroy: Players Championship doesn't need to be golf's fifth major, says world number two

Rory McIlroy has won five major championships and the Players Championship twice

World number two Rory McIlroy says the Players Championship has "more of an identity" than the US PGA Championship but does not believe the tournament should become men's golf's fifth major.

The 36-year-old, from County Down in Northern Ireland, became just the sixth man to win each of the sport's four majors - the Masters, US Open, Open Championship and US PGA Championship - in April when he earned a first Green Jacket at Augusta National to complete the career Grand Slam.

The Players, held in March at TPC Sawgrass, has long been nicknamed 'the fifth major', and used to boast of the strongest field in golf, although has been without a number of big names since the start of LIV Golf in 2022.

Last week, the tournament began a promotional campaign for this year's edition with the tagline 'March is going to be major'.