Xander Schauffele’s prediction for Rory McIlroy matches up with Tiger Woods claim

Xander Schauffele has set his sights on securing the rare career grand slam in golf – a dream fellow pro Rory McIlroy has been chasing for years. The career grand slam is achieved when a golfer wins all four major tournaments during their playing life, and Schauffele claimed two out of four titles by winning the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

The American golfer is now halfway to realising his dream, just one major title behind McIlroy. The Northern Irish golfer only needs to win the Masters Tournament to complete his career grand slam. To secure his own, Schauffele needs to win the US Open and the Masters. Speaking to MailSport, the 30-year-old admitted that this is a goal he has been dreaming about for a long time.

Schauffele said: “The career slam has always been written down as something I’ve wanted. Getting to two after not having one for such a long time is something that feels really good. Expectations can be a mean thing and I think all people in sport have a certain amount of cortisol in the body. You stress, you get anxious, have hard times. I have.

So to get to two is great, and it makes me remember writing this stuff down with my dad at 13 or 14 – number one player in the world, majors, all these things.”

Schauffele narrowly missed adding a second Olympic gold to his collection off the back of his Tokyo triumph, finishing tied for ninth at 12-under-par in the tournament at the Paris Games, closely trailing the eventual victor Scottie Scheffler. Meanwhile, McIlroy had a more successful tournament and ended up tying for fifth with a commendable score of 15-under-par – a mere four strokes from the top.

While the pair didn’t achieve any medals at the Olympic Games, both Schauffele and McIlroy are fully focused on their ultimate goal of the career grand slam. Golfing icon Tiger Woods is convinced that it is only a matter of time for McIlroy, as he praised the talent and drive the Northern Irish star possesses on the course.

Before the Masters Tournament kicked off back in April, five-time winner Woods praised McIlroy’s talent, as per Golf Digest.

I think Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week. You never know. I just think that the talent he has, the way he plays the game and how the golf course fits his eye, it’s just a matter of time.”