“Are Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy in early stage of PGA Tour rivalry?” was the title of one of the Golf Channel’s recent videos. Holding ranks #1 and #2 in the OWGR, the battle between Scheffler and McIlroy is never-ending as both of them are aspiring to get better day by day. With the Masters knocking on the door, it will certainly continue.

However, if you had to choose one between these two, who would you pick? Well, the hosts on the Golf Channel have chosen the American as they think he is more reliable than the Irishman. How so?

Recently, on the Golf Channel, hosts were talking about the rivalry between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. One of them started by comparing the mindset of both golfers and added, “He [Rory McIIroy] just doesn’t have the same mindset away from the course that Scottie Scheffler has, and I think now he is realizing at the age of 35.

Continuining, he added on, “He is gonna have to make a major commitment to reset his thought process and in his game, which he is working on.” There is a seven-year gap in age between these two. Logically, the Irishman will reach his retirement age first and, of course, wants to end his career on a very good note.

To do that, he not only needs to make a major commitment but “also reset with his swing. He is gonna have to do that if he has any chance of running down Scottie Scheffler,” further added the host.

The other talked about the reliability and believes Scheffler can be trusted more in important times. “Rory’s more mercurial, unpredictable, not as reliable as Scottie Scheffler. Although I think this change in Rory’s game where is able to win with his game shows the level of reliability that may not have been there before. I think Scottie is admired, greatly respected for what he has done and how he conducts himself. For the most part, I think Rory is a little bit more beloved at this point in time. My sense of it,” he said.

No doubt he is one of the most “beloved” golfers right now. When looking at the stats, McIlroy has also been consistent in winning at least one tournament in a season since 2019. In this season also, Rory McIlroy has already won THE PLAYERS Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

However, he has yet to win a major after the 2014 PGA Championship. Last year’s US Open was incredibly close. However, the Irishman fumbled and lost to Bryson DeChambeau and got the title of ‘almost guy,‘ in the community.

As for Scottie Scheffler, he started dominating the field from the 2022 WM Phoenix Open. It’s true that he hasn’t won any event this year. Yet, Scheffler has the ability to come out on top even after struggling.

For instance, just look at last year’s Olympics. Scottie Scheffler started with a 67 in the first round. While we were still busy deciding between Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama on who can win, Scheffler sneaked in and presented a sensational final round. He shot 9 birdies and finished with a 62 in the final round to claim the gold medal for his country. After looking at the comparison, one might wonder why McIlroy is always close but not on top of the leaderboard. 

What makes Rory McIlroy ‘unreliable’?

After the blunder on the 18th at Pinehurst No.2, the Irishman had to face a lot of heat. This was mainly because he was an inch away from winning his fifth major title in a decade. Surprisingly, the 35-year-old has had top 10 finishes in all the US Opens since 2019.

So what’s holding back Rory McIlroy? To answer this question, Brandel Chamblee chipped in and said last year, “He underperforms in the heat of battle. The first three days he gets in position every single time and doesn’t close the door. The reason he hasn’t won majors is not because his game deserts him on Sunday; it’s because he lacks the confidence to drive over the line like he does in PGA Tour events. That’s the difference,” as revealed on the Bunkered website.

One can say it’s a bold claim from Chamblee. However, the 18x major champion, Jack Nicklaus, had also said the same thing in a way. As per Nicklaus, the most important thing the Irishman has to do is cross his psychological barrier in the clutch situations. Despite that, the 85-year-old is positive about McIlroy winning the Masters this year. “The Masters. I still firmly believe Rory will win the Masters. He’s just too good not to,” Nicklaus told Golf Channel.

What do you think about Rory McIlroy’s chances of winning the Masters and other majors this year? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!