Rory McIlroy Vs Scottie Scheffler: Who's Had The Better Year?

Both men enjoyed extraordinary seasons and cemented their status as the two best players in the game - but which one had the better campaign overall?

(upper left) McIlroy and Scheffler shake hands at the PGA Championship, (top right) McIlroy reacts after Scheffler slips the Green Jacket onto him, (bottom left) McIlroy and Scheffler chat during the Tour Championship, (bottom right) McIlroy and Scheffler shake hands after their Ryder Cup singles match
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have enjoyed a stellar year between them courtesy of three Major championship victories and seven tour wins.

In addition, the World No.2 triumphed in an enthralling playoff at The Players Championship before later going on to help Team Europe win the Ryder Cup once more.

On the other hand, Scheffler took a few weeks to find his groove following a ravioli-induced hand injury. But, once he did, the World No.1 consistently blew PGA Tour fields away and further cemented his status as the outright best player in the world.

Four PGA Tour wins and two Majors were landed among a sequence of 15 starts where Scheffler finished no worse than T8th.

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler

(Image credit: Getty Images)

But while Scheffler undoubtedly earned more titles than McIlroy, the magnitude of the five-time Major winner's achievements - which ticked off two of his three remaining career aims - raised questions over who had actually enjoyed the best year.

Below, three Golf Monthly writers share their thoughts and try to pick a side...

Nick Bonfield headshot
Nick Bonfield

I've gone back and forth several times before typing this, which shows just how close a call it is. It's almost unfathomable to choose anyone other than the person who's won two Majors, but I think McIlroy just edges it.

The Northern Irishman's victory at The Masters wasn't just a huge personal accomplishment; it was also historically significant. He became just the sixth golfer of all time to win the Career Grand Slam, which, as far as I'm concerned, means it carries additional weight.

I'd suggest a Career Grand Slam-winning Major almost equates to two of golf's big four in terms of gravitas. In addition to that, he played a starring role as Europe won the Ryder Cup on away soil for the first time since the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.

Ahead of the season, McIlroy listed winning the Grand Slam and notching an away Ryder Cup as two of his remaining three career goals, alongside earning an Olympic Medal. While personal goals shouldn't necessarily factor into an objective decision, it means a great deal when arguably the greatest European golfer ever completes two-thirds of his remaining career wish-list in one year.

In addition to everything else, he won a Signature Event at Pebble Beach, reigned supreme in a play-off at TPC Sawgrass and overcame Joakim Lagergren in extra holes at the Irish Open. Scheffler, who won two Major titles and four other PGA Tour events, enjoyed a season for the ages, but I think McIlroy just pips him to the post.

Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth

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A headshot of Elliott Heath from the chest up wearing a sky blue hoodie
Elliott Heath

Scottie Scheffler has undoubtedly been the best golfer in the world, but has he had the best year? Many will point to Rory McIlroy edging that debate… and I would probably agree.

Scheffler edged out Xander Schauffele for the POTY title last year despite Schauffele winning more Majors than him, and this year he is the two-Major man and he again isn’t conclusively winning the POTY chat.

Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam, won four meaningful individual titles and was part of an away Ryder Cup victory so I would have to say that he has had the better year.

Scheffler won more times and also captured two Majors, and his play has undoubtedly been better this year.

Without taking anything away from another vintage Scheffler display, the PGA Championship at a soft Quail Hollow was essentially a blown up PGA Tour event, so if he won The Open and a US Open then I would view his season very differently. Sadly I believe the PGA Championship is falling in stature - which again I mean in no slight to Scottie.

I am happy to call it a tie in an argument - but Rory McIlroy just edges it for me with the more historic and memorable season overall. The Ryder Cup seemingly does not carry the weight that it should. It is everything for three days but always appears to be remembered far less than individual honors.

McIlroy’s sixth Ryder Cup trophy and second away victory should go down as a monumental achievement, especially as he suffered disgusting abuse from the home crowd along the way.

And that was while Scheffler only took one point from five matches on home soil, which arrived against McIlroy in what the Northern Irishman described as a ‘pillow fight’ when both men were fatigued.

Let’s not forget McIlroy’s amazing performance at Bethpage, and also remember he won at Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Augusta National and at home in Ireland.

He will likely win a seventh Race to Dubai trophy and has a chance to win in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Australia, still. He was not the BEST golfer this year, but I will say that Rory McIlroy did have the best year. Sorry Scottie.

Rory McIlroy during a BMW PGA Championship practice round

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Jonny Leighfield headshot at Autumn/Winter Test Day 2025
Jonny Leighfield

I would say the beauty of a question like this is that it's genuinely debatable - there are two very strong arguments for either player.

On the one hand, Scheffler claimed two Majors and four other PGA Tour events while exhibiting his robotic consistency week after week. But, on the other, McIlroy enjoyed more than a few red-letter days which will ultimately define his career.

Once he clicked into gear after that famous ravioli-induced hand injury, Scheffler was never outside of the top-eight. Meanwhile, McIlroy blew so hot and cold at times - which is actually part of the reason so many fans support him. There is a fallibility to his world-class talent.

Ultimately, I think this could be a head vs heart scenario. If you're someone who prefers to take the cold hard facts, Scheffler won more times and was by far and away the dominant figure in men's pro golf.

He clinched two Majors compared to McIlroy's one and triumphed more times overall, winning far more money, too. If you lay their seasons down side by side without emotion attached, there is only one winner.

Even with the Ryder Cup disappointment and a likely Race To Dubai win for McIlroy, Scheffler will emerge from the year with a greater number of achievements.

However, McIlroy's wins and heroic moments were probably more meaningful to the wider population and featured a level of sentimentality that many of us will remember for the rest of our lives.

Your best anything doesn't always mean the most or the biggest. It can often be the first time something happened or even the last. If better means how much their years meant to them and the fans, again, there is only one winner.

I do wonder what Scheffler and McIlroy would say if you asked them the question. I'd wager that they would each nominate the other in public, but I wonder if the answer would remain consistent in private...

(Left) Rory McIlroy smiles during round three of The Masters in 2025 while Scottie Scheffler looks on seriously in round two (right)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Jonny Leighfield
News Writer

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.

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