'Box Office Buzz'... 'A Real Rival Has Emerged'

McIlroy and Scheffler: The New Rivalry Era
Woods and Mickelson Once Drove Tour Popularity
Scheffler Ranked No. 1 for 125 Weeks, McIlroy for 122 Weeks
Anticipation Builds for Their Role as Leading Partners on the PGA Tour

Rivals are essential in every field. Having competitors pushes one to improve. The same applies to golf. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson (both from the United States) are prime examples. The two players engaged in fierce competition on the field and achieved outstanding results. Woods recorded a total of 82 wins (tied for the most wins), including 15 major championships on the PGA Tour. Mickelson also accumulated 45 wins in total, including six major championships. In May 2021, he became the oldest major champion at 50 years and 11 months by winning the PGA Championship. The two players were the twin pillars leading the PGA Tour for a long time.

Tiger Woods (right) and Phil Mickelson are the main figures driving the popularity of the PGA Tour.

Now, a new exciting rivalry has emerged in men's golf. It is between Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), ranked third in the world, and Scottie Scheffler (United States), ranked first. Both players have built remarkable records and are expected to be the leading rivals representing the PGA Tour for more than the next decade. Golf fans worldwide can once again enjoy top-level competition following Woods and Mickelson.

McIlroy grew up being called the ‘post-Woods’ player. He has indeed achieved remarkable success. He has won 27 times on the PGA Tour, including four major championships, and 18 times on the European Tour. His major victories include the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships, and the 2014 Open Championship. If he wins the Masters, he will complete the ‘career Grand Slam.’

Rory McIlroy (right) and Scottie Scheffler have established themselves as the new rivals representing the men's golf world.

He quickly rose to the top. In 2012, he won four times on the PGA Tour, opening the ‘McIlroy era,’ and reached world number one for the first time. He held the top spot for 122 weeks, ranking fifth all-time in this category. In 2014, he won three times, marking his ‘second prime,’ and added two wins in the 2016 FedEx Cup Playoffs.

However, McIlroy also faced setbacks due to off-field issues. In 2013, he only entered the ‘top 10’ five times, showing a slump. It was speculated that his long-distance relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) affected his performance. After breaking up with Wozniacki in 2014, he won the Open Championship, becoming the third player under 25 to achieve three major wins.

Rory McIlroy filed for divorce against his wife Erica last year but later withdrew the case.

In July 2015, he suffered a bizarre injury to his left ankle ligament while playing soccer with friends. In May last year, he filed for divorce from his wife Erica but withdrew the lawsuit after a month and restored their relationship. After resolving off-field issues, he proved his skills again. At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his first PGA Tour event this year, he showed a changed form. During the tournament, he averaged a driving distance of 336.7 yards, scrambling ability of 76.19%, greens in regulation of 70.83%, and 1.63 putts per green hit, demonstrating a flawless performance.

Rory McIlroy is celebrating immediately after winning the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

McIlroy’s strongest rival is the current top player Scheffler. He held the world number one ranking for 125 weeks. This is the fourth-longest record, and if he maintains it for 11 more weeks, he will surpass Dustin Johnson (135 weeks) to become third.

Scheffler’s achievements are overwhelming. Since joining the PGA Tour in 2020, he has recorded 13 wins in just a few years. He won four times in 2022, including the Masters, two times in 2023, and seven times last year, including his second Masters victory. He also won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and claimed the FedEx Cup title by winning the Tour Championship. Last year, he swept the top spots in major categories such as wins, earnings, scoring average, and most top 10 finishes.

Scottie Scheffler had his best year last year, winning back-to-back Masters titles and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Scheffler debuted on the regular tour in the 2019/2020 season, recording three top-3 finishes and seven top-10 finishes, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Although he had no wins for two years, he won the Dell Technologies Match Play in March 2022, reaching world number one for the first time. He also set a new record by surpassing $50 million in earnings in the fewest events (113) in PGA Tour history.

Scheffler boasts an imposing physique at 191 cm and 91 kg. Last year, his average driving distance was 303.8 yards, and his iron shots were even better. He recorded a greens in regulation rate of 73.16%, 1.68 putts per hole, and a scrambling ability of 66.18%, earning a reputation as a player without weaknesses.

Scottie Scheffler is a frugal athlete who drives a 2012 model car despite earning a huge income last year. Photo by Golfweek

Unlike McIlroy, Scheffler is known for his quiet personality and is also a devout Christian. Although he earned $62,228,357 (about 89.9 billion KRW) last year, he still maintains a frugal lifestyle. He drove a 2012 GMC Yukon SUV and only changed to a new car for the safety of his son born last year. Those around him describe him as a player who "does not get distracted by anything other than golf."

Scheffler is also famous for his unique ‘fisherman’s swing.’ Although it deviates from the traditional swing, his tremendous practice volume allows him to execute precise shots. He has a good personality and still casually hangs out with his high school friends. Seongjae Im commented, "Scheffler practices really hard. He excels in all aspects, including mental strength, ball contact ability, and short game recovery." Scheffler’s prime has just begun.