John Daly snubs Rory McIlroy’s Masters triumph, names Scottie Scheffler as season’s best

John Daly has weighed in on who he thinks had the best season in 2025, giving the edge to Scottie Scheffler over Rory McIlroy despite McIlroy completing his career Grand Slam with a Masters victory. Daly shared his opinion in an interview with Hard Rock Bet, explaining why Scheffler stood out.

Asked whether he preferred the season of world number one Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy, Daly said,

“I’d have to go with Scottie. I mean, Scottie’s won a few more, and then he won two majors this year. You have to go with Scottie.”

Daly’s view makes sense. Scheffler had a strong year even after starting late due to a palm injury last Christmas. He played 20 events, made the cut in all of them and finished with six wins, one runner-up, and 17 top-10s. He also won two major titles, the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, and stayed firmly at World No.1.

McIlroy also had an impressive season but opted for a reduced schedule, playing 16 events and making the cut in 15. He won three titles, finished runner-up once and recorded eight top-10 finishes. His season highlight was winning the Masters, giving him five major championship titles and completing the career Grand Slam.

While Daly clearly preferred Scheffler’s overall season, he still praised McIlroy for his effort, especially his performance at Bethpage Black, showing his respect for the Northern Irishman’s resilience in challenging conditions.

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John Daly praises Rory McIlroy for composure at Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy's demeanor gets applauded by John Daly- Source: Getty

Rory McIlroy faced a challenging atmosphere at the 2025 Ryder Cup held at Bethpage Black, where fans were especially loud against him. The 36-year-old endured intense heckling, including personal insults aimed at him and his wife, as supporters tried to break his focus and affect his team.

Despite the pressure, McIlroy stayed calm and focused. His performance helped Team Europe win the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil with McIlroy recording three wins, one loss and one half.

John Daly, speaking to Hard Rock Bet praised McIlroy’s poise under pressure.

"New York fans are loyal, man. They love the USA. My hat's off to Rory McIlroy because they absolutely destroyed him, and the thing is, what they have to understand is, it didn't bother him... Rory was a gentleman the way he handled it, and he kept winning. It's sport. That's what it is,” Daly said.

Beyond the Ryder Cup McIlroy had an outstanding year overall. He was recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 becoming the sixth man and first European to complete the Slam, joining legends such as Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Gary Player.

Edited by Sonali Verma