The Northern Irishman's two-shot victory at Hoylake meant he became just the third player in the history of the game to win three major titles by the age of 25 - the other two being Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who have 32 majors between them.
McIlroy is also now just a Masters crown away from completing a career grand slam of golf's biggest prizes, and has set his sights on success at Augusta next year and forging an era of dominance in the same vein as Nicklaus and Woods.
"I'm immensely proud of myself," he said.
"To sit here 25 years of age and win my third major championship and be three quarters of the way to the career grand slam - I never dreamed of being at this point in my career so quickly.
"I just want to be the best golfer I can be, and I know if I can do that then trophies like this are within my capability.
"I'd love to win a lot more and am really looking forward - even though there's still one major left this year that I want to desperately try and win - to next April and trying to complete the career grand slam.
"Golf is looking for someone to put their hand up and try to dominate and I want to be that person.
"I want to be the guy that goes on and wins majors and wins majors regularly.
"I feel like there's a lot more left in me."