Xander Schauffele to Rory McIlroy: "Feels like you've gotten the best of me every time"

Xander Schauffele says it feels like Rory McIlroy has 'always got the better' of him in their tussles on the PGA Tour. 

Schauffele now believes  his game is up there with the very best after he won two major championships in 2024. 

But he will now have to deal with a very different McIlroy after the 35-year-old finally clinched his maiden Masters title to complete the career grand slam. 

"It feels like he's gotten the best of me every time," Schauffele said of McIlroy. 

The American was speaking to reporters in a short conference call previewing his defence of the U.S. PGA Championship at Quail Hollow next month. 

The last time Schauffele went head-to-head with McIlroy came at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. 

Schauffele and McIlroy could not be separated through the first nine holes at Quail Hollow, but the Ulsterman switched into a different gear on the back nine.

He won by five.

"It felt like he birdied every hole on the back nine," Schauffele added. "He's accomplished the grand slam. He'll go down as one of the greats in the game.

"I have to play better. And I think I'm in a place where I can do that."

Schauffele was forced to miss eight weeks of the PGA Tour season with a rib injury. 

The reigning Open champion returned to action at TPC Sawgrass in March and claimed at The Players his game was 'gross'. 

Asked what was wrong, he previously opined: "Everything."

It's a different story now, though. 

"Since The Players I've played better," said Schauffele, who eked out a top-10 finish at the first men's major of the year.

"I think my confidence is slowly building. I've finished second twice at Quail Hollow, but I've played well there."

"I don't think I had anything to do with it"

Justin Thomas returned to the winner's circle on the PGA Tour last week for the first time since his triumph at the 2022 US PGA Championship at Southern Hills. 

Thomas drained a lengthy putt in a sudden-death playoff to defeat Andrew Novak at the RBC Heritage. 

The 31-year-old said he felt more joy than relief after going more than 1,064 days without a win. 

He also claimed that a lengthy phone conversation with Schauffele about his putting really paid dividends. 

Schauffele, though, think he's being given far too much credit by his Ryder Cup teammate. 

"He played great and I don't really think I had anything do with it, he maybe gave me too much credit," Schauffele said.  

"He was asking me some questions and then it ended up being me the one asking him all the questions.

"He was searching and maybe trying too hard. He’s done so many good things in the past. 

"He realised he used to do these three, four or five things and the answers were right in front of him."