World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has heaped praise on Rory McIlroy's driving abilities ahead of this week's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Scheffler made the bold claim that McIlroy might be "the best driver of the ball that we've ever seen" in golf history.
The comments came as Scheffler prepares to play alongside McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele when the tournament begins Thursday.
Scheffler's admiration for the Northern Irishman's skills off the tee follows McIlroy's triumphant Masters win last month, which has drawn plaudits from many fellow professionals.
Scottie Scheffler has admitted he wishes he had Rory McIlroy's driving ability
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When asked about which aspect of another player's game he would trade for his own, Scheffler didn't hesitate to highlight McIlroy's prowess off the tee.
"You had a guy like Tiger had a ton of speed, but Rory just has the accuracy, that's what sets him apart too," Scheffler explained. "Not only does he hit it really far, he hits it really straight."
The world No.1 placed McIlroy in a league of his own compared to other golf greats.
"You'd be hard-pressed to find anybody that has drove the ball better than he has in the history of the game," Scheffler said.
Scheffler's willingness to learn from his peers extends beyond McIlroy's driving skills.
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He mentioned admiring Sam Burns' putting abilities, noting he'd trade that aspect with his friend who is currently ranked first in strokes-gained putting on Tour.
Scheffler also highlighted Jordan Spieth's creativity around the greens as something he could learn from.
"You look at a guy like Jon Rahm, like I love the way he plays with passion over every shot," Scheffler added.
Rory McIlroy won The Masters last month in emotional circumstancesReutersHe drew parallels between Rahm and Tiger Woods in their competitive focus, saying: "Tiger was obviously the best at it, but every shot he hit was the most important shot that he's ever hit."
McIlroy, however, took a markedly different approach when posed the same question about trading skills with other players.
"I wouldn't trade," the world No.2 said bluntly on Wednesday at Quail Hollow.
When further pressed about which aspects of other players' games he admires, McIlroy remained tight-lipped.
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PA"I'm focused on my game," the five-time major champion responded.
The contrast between Scheffler's detailed appreciation of his peers' abilities and McIlroy's reserved focus highlights their different approaches to the game.
Perhaps these contrasting mindsets reveal something about what makes each player successful at the highest level of the sport.
