Golden boy Rory will light a fire under Scottie Scheffler

Masters champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland receives his Green Jacket from Masters champion Scottie Scheffler of the United States during the Green Jacket Presentation Ceremony after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 13, 2025

Whether it's Real Madrid and Barcelona, the Red Sox against the Yankees, Kerry v Dublin, Ali v Frazier or Federer taking on Nadal, great rivalries have always been the lifeblood of great sport.

So roll up now, folks, fire up the popcorn machine and watch Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler duke it out over the next decade for golf's grand prizes.

It's rare that the game's biggest stars go head-to-head in the same group for one of golf's Major titles, which is why the Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977 or Nick Faldo's head-to-head with Greg Norman in the final round at Augusta in 1996 are the stuff of legend.

With McIlroy and Scheffler knocking off four of the last five Majors between them — McIlroy's Masters wins bookending victories for Scheffler in the PGA and The Open last year — there's a palpable sense of anticipation as we count down to the PGA Championship at Aronimink in Philadelphia next month, not to mention the US Open at Shinnecock Hills and The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Neither man had their very best stuff for all four rounds at the Masters, and yet by the time the dust had settled on Sunday night, world number one Scheffler was the man closest to McIlroy at the finish.

The Texan cut a frustrated, irritable figure for much of the week, feeling hard done by when the powers at Augusta National watered the course before Friday's second round and he shot a 74 that ultimately cost him the title.

It was Scheffler's poor putting, not an easier course, that cost him that day, and while he went 65-68 and bogey-free at the weekend, the fact that he played the 13th and 15th in one-over for the week compared to McIlroy's six-under on those iconic par-fives ultimately proved the difference.

They have a mutual respect and when asked what McIlroy showed by the way he reacted to losing his six-shot halfway lead, Scheffler was not surprised to see such resilience from the world number two.

"Yeah, I mean, to me, it doesn't say much more because I've competed against him for a long time, and you don't win the amount of tournaments that he's won out here without being pretty resilient," Schefflere said.

"I mean, having a six-shot lead at Augusta is never easy, and losing that is obviously something difficult. But at the end of the day when you tee it up here on Sunday, you know, he's tied for the lead to start the day and had a solid round and did what he needed to do in order to get it done."

Scheffler hadn't realised that they had won four of the last five Majors between them, and in analysing himself, he summed up what makes these guys tick.

They love to compete at the highest level.

"I didn't realise that until you just said," he said. "Yeah, Rory won the last two Masters, and I clipped some majors last year. So yeah, I mean, I think the Major championships bring out the best in me sometimes, and I had some good starts last year, and I obviously had a good week this week.

"There are a few shots I'd like to have back, but overall, I put up a good fight."

McIlroy has clearly evolved as a Major competitor over the past few years, and trying to keep pace with Scheffler, who is seven years his junior, is a great thing.

He no longer wins Majors by eight shots as he did twice early in his career, but he's a better all-round player, as Paul McGinley pointed out on Sunday night.

"His putting is so good now," McGinley said. "Brad Faxon has done an amazing job with that. His chipping is unbelievable. He was second around the green this week. And when you have those strings to your bow, it takes the pressure off your long game a little bit, so you don't have to be on your best in order to win.

"I just think so many things are settled in his life now. He's comfortable being a little bit more erratic in this golf game and still being able to win."

As for the dynamic with Scheffler, their rivalry will only drive them to greater heights.

"Listen, this guy kicked on from Rory winning the Masters last year by winning two more majors, and he will kick on," McGinley said of the Texan.

"You'd be a brave man to say he's not going to win a major in the next three.

"And the fact that Rory is the golden boy, and getting all the applause, that's good. That's what competitive instinct is. I have no problem with that whatsoever. And it's also good for Rory."