Rory McIlroy says Scottie Scheffler is 'the bar he is trying to get to' after the Open Championship

Scottie Scheffler grabbed his career's fourth golf major at the 2025 Open Championship on Sunday, July 20, triggering praise from his arch rival, Rory McIlroy. Both top-ranked golfers were in contention for the title at Royal Portrush in the final round. Sheffler clinched the Claret Jug with a 17-under par score, while the World No. 2 finished T7 with a 10-under in the final major of the 2025 season.

Rory McIlroy highlighted that Scottie Scheffler has been unstoppable over the previous two years and has served as a baseline for all other golfers to strive after. The 2025 Masters winner also emphasized Scheffler's dominating performance throughout the Open Championship week. Speaking to reporters after Round 4 play, McIlroy explained (quotes via Bleacher Report):

"Yeah, none of us could hang with Scottie this week. He's an incredible player. He's been dominant this week. Honestly, he's been dominant for the last couple of years. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to. In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months."

Scottie Scheffler scored 3-under par in the final round, but it proved enough to register a dominant win at the 2025 Open. He finished four shots ahead of runner-up Harris English. Scheffler won a total of $3.1 million from the tournament's $17 million prize money.

Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, finished the tournament with a total score of 10-under par and tied for seventh place.

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Rory McIlroy thinks that all you can do with Scottie Scheffler's game is admire it

2025 PGA Championship - Round Two - Source: Getty

Adding to his aforementioned statement, Rory McIlroy said they cannot do anything about Scottie Scheffler's game. The World No. 1 has had a firm grasp over the whole game for two years, and recently, on July 11, he even finished 100 weeks as the top golfer.

McIlroy highlighted Scheffler's dominance, saying:

"I think all you can do is admire what he does and how he does it. I think what he does is one thing, but how he does it is another. He just goes about his business, doesn't do anything overly flamboyant, but he's the best at executing in the game right now. Yeah, he's been absolutely amazing over these past two to three years. As I said, all you can do is tip your cap and watch in admiration."

The Northern Irishman also revealed that it was a wonderful experience for him to return to Europe for a major tournament before the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale