The China Mail - Focus, longevity: Scheffler-McIlroy rivalry sparks mutual admiration

As world number one Scheffler and second-ranked McIlroy prepared to face a world-class field at Aronimink in the 108th PGA Championship starting Thursday, they examined each other's most formidable strengths.

Scheffler captured last year's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and British Open at Royal Portrush while McIlroy took the green jacket at the Masters last month and last year.

McIlroy finds Scheffler's focus and consistency among his greatest weapons.

"He has played consistently excellent golf for I would say ever since he got his first win back at the start of 2022, and he hasn't really dropped off since then," McIlroy said.

"It has been four years of really excellent, consistent golf. You look at his game, and you would have said a few years ago that the putting was a weakness, but you wouldn't say that now.

"And you look at all the other aspects of his game and you don't see a weakness, from a physical standpoint, from a mental standpoint."

Scheffler has runner-up finishes in his past three starts but has shaken off weak efforts quickly, McIlroy noted.

"He seems like he has a good mindset of last week's done, I'll move on to this week," McIlroy said. "Forget about whatever happened. He operates in the present so well, and that's one of his super strengths."

McIlroy impresses Scheffler in multiple ways as well.

"When you look at just his game, his ability to drive the ball is the best I've seen, not only with his speed but how accurate he is as well," Scheffler said of McIlroy.

"He's able to take out certain things on some golf courses that not many players can do. He does it in a way where he hits a lot of fairways as well."

Scheffler also admires how long McIlroy, who won his first major at the 2011 US Open, has played at a top level.

"Another thing is his longevity. Hard to have an understanding of what it takes to remain at the top for as long as he has," Scheffler said. "Rory is one of those guys that checks the box each week. He's a guy I always see in the gym, the practice facility.

"Players will have a greater appreciation when you see somebody like Rory who has had success over so many years. When you look at when he won his first major championship to now it has been 15 years.

"That's pretty difficult to do, so for him to still be at the top of the game for this long is quite impressive."

- 'High level' -

Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters winner making his 100th career major start, finds both stars impressive in different ways while saying, "These guys are both playing at a high level."

"I played 18 holes at Augusta with Scottie before the Masters and even in the practice round, his mental approach to not just the game, but a round of golf -- it's like he picks the course apart," Scott said. "He's so good, so controlled with his shots.

"I was watching him even practicing and chipping, where he chipped from, it's very strategic. It seemed like he had all his bases covered. It's his approach, it's so smart, really."

McIlroy's willingness to open himself to the world earned Scott's appreciation.

"There are so many great things about Rory," Scott said. "Rory tells us a lot more about himself and his golf, and I think the fact that he has put himself out there, to be vulnerable with his game over the last couple years, is what impresses me about him.

"The way he's able to take his lumps but he also gets some big highs as well. He's so talented, so the ceiling of his golf is really high, but I think that's gutsy to do that."

O.Tse--ThChM