Rory McIlroy brutally sums up his year with Scottie Scheffler comparison
Rory McIlroy’s 2024 PGA Tour season has not concluded as strongly as he had hoped, with the Irish golfer falling short of matching the extraordinary achievements of his contemporaries, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. Despite his own impressive performances this year, McIlroy feels he is not on par with the exceptional standards set by the top players in the game.
McIlroy’s season began on a high note with a victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in January. He continued to build on this success with notable wins on the PGA Tour, securing the Wells Fargo Championship and the Zurich Classic, where he teamed up with Shane Lowry. While these accomplishments are significant, McIlroy has acknowledged that he has not consistently reached the level of excellence he aspires to.
As the 2024 PGA Tour season nears its end, McIlroy finds himself third in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). This ranking is an indication of his solid performance throughout the year, but it also highlights the gap between him and the top two players: Scottie Scheffler, who leads the rankings, and Xander Schauffele, who sits in second place. McIlroy has openly expressed his feeling of being distanced from the top spot despite his high ranking.
In reflecting on the year, McIlroy has been candid about his assessment of his performance compared to Scheffler and Schauffele. “You know, seeing what Scottie [Scheffler] and Xander [Schauffele] have done this year — I’m third in the world rankings, but I feel like a distant third,” McIlroy remarked. He elaborated on his sentiment, saying, “They’ve had great years, and I look at my year compared to them and, I mean, it doesn’t compare.”
McIlroy’s sentiment comes in the wake of a less-than-stellar performance in the opening round of the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake. He carded a two-under-par 69, which included four birdies and two bogeys. Although this performance was respectable, it did not make a significant impact on the leaderboard, highlighting the challenges McIlroy faces in catching up to the leaders.
On the other hand, Scottie Scheffler has been demonstrating why he is the reigning world No. 1. Scheffler’s dominance in 2024 has been undeniable, with six PGA Tour victories to his name, including a triumph at the Masters and an Olympic gold medal. His commanding lead in the standings has been reinforced by his performance at East Lake, where he posted a superb six-under-par 65 on the first day. Despite starting his round with a bogey, Scheffler managed to finish the day seven shots clear of Schauffele.
Scheffler has previously voiced criticisms about the FedEx Cup finale system, particularly concerning the narrow one-shot advantage awarded for his extended 25-week lead at the top of the standings. However, he let his golf game speak for itself during the tournament. Post-round, Scheffler downplayed the significance of his lead, focusing instead on maintaining his performance throughout the event. “I wasn’t thinking about the lead out there today,” Scheffler said. “There’s no reason to. It’s the first day of the tournament. It’s 72 holes. It’s a long time out there to be playing with a lead or whatever it is. I was just focused on staying in my own world and continuing to just try to execute.”
As the 2024 PGA Tour season draws to a close, McIlroy’s reflections and Scheffler’s continued dominance underscore the competitive nature of professional golf and the relentless pursuit of excellence by the sport’s top players.
