AUGUSTA, Ga. – The 2025 Masters is shaping up to be a two-man show: Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Both arrive at Augusta National in top form and primed for another chapter in what’s quickly becoming golf’s most compelling rivalry.
McIlroy, seeking the final piece for a career Grand Slam, has already claimed two PGA TOUR titles this season—the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and THE PLAYERS Championship. Add in his DP World Tour Championship win last year, and he’s won three of his last seven starts worldwide.
He’s showing a new level of discipline on the course this year, in part by modeling his game after Scheffler. McIlroy has consciously dialed back aggressive tendencies and focused on a smarter, bogey-free approach. His wedge play has improved, aided by a ball change for better spin control—key to managing Augusta’s unpredictable winds and slick greens.
Meanwhile, Scheffler, the world No. 1 and defending Masters champion, is rounding into form after an offseason injury delayed his start. He was runner-up at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in his last outing and has finished in the top 25 in all six of his starts this season. Though he hasn’t won yet in 2025, his game looks sharp, and he said recently, “This is definitely the most prepared that I’ve felt all year.”
Scheffler’s remarkable 2024 season—seven wins including the Masters, PLAYERS, and Olympic gold—set a high bar. But even as he works his way back to peak form, Scheffler remains the most consistent player in the world.
McIlroy’s mindset shift can be traced back to last year’s Masters, where he missed the cut and was clearly searching for answers. He played solo practice rounds, held a brief press conference, and was 10 shots behind Scheffler by Friday. That disappointment appears to have sparked a transformation.
“I think back to the second round at Augusta last year—it was so gusty, and I maybe didn’t have all the shots I needed,” McIlroy said after his win at THE PLAYERS. “Now I feel much better prepared.”
One of McIlroy’s improvements is his ability to flight lower trajectory iron shots—less flashy but more controllable. It’s a skill Scheffler has long mastered, and one that’s crucial at Augusta, where precision often trumps power.
There’s also a mental shift for McIlroy. Reading fiction—like John Grisham’s The Reckoning—has helped him stay open-minded, a trait he believes is useful for navigating Augusta’s complexities. “I read so much non-fiction, I probably need to start reading a bit of fiction just to lighten it up,” McIlroy joked.
For all the other storylines in this year’s 94-player field, none are drawing as much buzz as the McIlroy-Scheffler showdown. They were paired in the first two rounds last year—a rare “super group” at a tournament that typically avoids stacking stars. This year, their parallel paths make a collision course on Sunday seem likely.
McIlroy is now in the same position Scheffler was last year—confident, dialed-in, and fresh off big wins. Scheffler, meanwhile, is back in pursuit mode, quietly sharpening his game for another green jacket.
If golf’s unpredictability doesn’t intervene, this Masters could deliver a memorable duel between the world’s top two players.
