Rory McIlroy tipped to use Scottie Scheffler as ‘motivation’ with sights set on Masters glory

Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship on Monday and the world No.1 has now won two PGA Tour events this year, but still has some way to go to match Scottie Scheffler’s exploits in 2024

Sky Sports analyst Wayne Riley reckons Rory McIlroy is more fired up than ever to orchestrate an exceptional season, fueled by Scottie Scheffler’s outstanding 2024 performance. McIlroy kicked off February with a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and has now bagged a second significant title of 2025 by besting J.J. Spaun in a playoff showdown at The Players Championship.

At TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy maintained his composure as he and Spaun faced off on Monday for their three-hole conclusion, where the Northern Irish golfer clinched an easy playoff triumph. This marks his second PGA Tour victory this year, while Scheffler has yet to score a win.

Riley suggests that McIlroy ‘did not like’ being outplayed by Scheffler last season. Demonstrating that he can deliver an equally commanding season appears to be a far greater incentive for the 35-year-old than anything else.

“I think, honestly, over the last five or six months, he saw what Scottie was doing and it has motivated him,” said Riley during a chat with Sky Sports. “He thought, ‘Well, if Scottie can do that, I can do that. Scottie is giving us all a good whipping’.

“Rory doesn’t like that and he loves a little motivation, he is very much a confidence golfer. Everyone has got to remember what Scottie did last year has been done before. Justin Thomas has done things like that, [Jordan] Spieth was doing things like that, Rory was doing things like that.

“Unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods has done things like that every second year for so very long. Rory McIlroy wants to go out there and get a five-win season this year and he has already got two big ones early doors.”

Claiming the title at The Players Championship, McIlroy topped the leaderboard in arguably the most prestigious tournament outside of the four grand slams. He’s itching to best that achievement and halt his 11-year major dry spell this season, with eyes firmly on The Masters teeing off next month.

Though McIlroy has been quick off the mark this season, he’s still trailing the remarkable pace set by Scheffler last year. By this stage then, the U.S. golfer had notched victories at both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship under his belt.

Scheffler carried his form forward, securing wins at The Masters, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament, the Travelers Championship, and capping it all off with the Tour Championship. And as if his victories weren’t sweet enough, he added an Olympic gold medal in Paris to his haul, plus triumphing at the Hero World Challenge for good measure.