Scottie Scheffler looked other way when Rory McIlroy made huge Tiger Woods claim
Scottie Scheffler disagreed with Rory McIlroy when the golf star compared him to Tiger Woods after an outstanding 2024, and both men will compete at the US Open
Scottie Scheffler previously dismissed Rory McIlroy's comparison of him to golfing legend Tiger Woods. Both players are expected to be among the leading contenders at the upcoming US Open.
McIlroy's form has been notably inconsistent since his Masters victory in April, which marked his career Grand Slam. In contrast, his competitor Scheffler has been upping his game this season, clinching the PGA Championship in May.
Following a disappointing performance at the US PGA, McIlroy continued to struggle at the RBC Canadian Open this week, where he missed his first cut of the season. The Northern Irish golfer had difficulty with a new driver and scored 78 in Friday's second round.
After finishing the tournament nine-over par to tie for 149th place - the worst finish in his PGA Tour career - McIlroy confessed his concerns about his driving ahead of the year's third major at Oakmont.
"Yeah, of course it concerns me," McIlroy admitted. "You don't want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn't.
"Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways. Still searching for the missing piece off the tee.
"For me, when I get that part of the game clicking, then everything falls into place for me. Right now that isn't. Yeah, that's a concern going into next week."
However, Scheffler is in red-hot form going into the event and will be the favourite to win the US Open. He took some time to find his groove this season, but he has won three of his last four tournaments, including the Byron Nelson and the Memorial.
Since March, Scheffler, 28, has consistently placed in the top 10 and is anticipated to challenge for the top spot once more. In recent years, he has placed T7, T2, and third at the US Open, and he will be eager to go all the way this time.
McIlroy is well aware of Scheffler's threat, having previously referred to him as a golfer in the same mould as Woods who "just doesn't make mistakes" in light of his remarkable accomplishments in 2024.
"I've never – this is anyone, this is Tiger, this is in the history of golf – I don't think I've ever seen a golfer play as many bogey-free rounds as Scottie," McIlroy admitted. "He just doesn't make mistakes. He plays the right shot at the right time over and over and over again."
Despite this, Scheffler downplayed the comparisons to Woods, who has won 15 majors, last year after he successfully defended his title at the Hero World Challenge. After an incredible season, Scheffler confessed that he hadn't given himself time to reflect on his success.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm never really good at that kind of stuff," Scheffler said. "I really do my best when I stay in the present. It's been a fantastic year, I'm very grateful for the season and grateful for the wins and it's been a ton of fun.
"But at the end of the day when we go home I'm looking forward to doing stuff that's not golf. I like to go home and live my life and enjoy my time at home. I've had a little bit of time to reflect, but I'm not really sure how to assess it. It's just been pretty surreal, it's been a lot of fun. I'm just really grateful."
Echoing the days of Woods' supremacy, Scheffler bagged an impressive nine victories last year, including the coveted Masters, an Olympic gold medal, and the FedEx Cup.
McIlroy, on the other hand, faces a tough challenge if he hopes to outplay Scheffler, especially after having to adjust to a new driver when his previous one failed a conformity test last month.
McIlroy's return to the US Open is set to revive painful memories of last year's dramatic final-round collapse, where he squandered a lead with just five holes remaining, ultimately conceding the title to Bryson DeChambeau. This disappointment was hot on the heels of another near miss in 2023, where Wyndham Clark pipped him to the post by a single stroke.
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