Rich Beem picks who’s the better player right now out of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler after spending time on-course with them at The Genesis

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Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are both in the mix to win the Genesis Invitational and Rich Beem has been discussing which of the duo looks best placed to win.

Scheffler went into round three at seven under par and just a shot shy of the leader Davis Thomson, while Rory McIlroy was five under and breathing down the leaders’ necks.

Of course, the ideal scenario for the average golf fan would be seeing McIlroy and Scheffler go into the final round in the same group and essentially head to head to win.

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There is still a long way to go, as we know. But with the third round getting underway, former major winner Rich Beem has admitted he prefers one over the other after spending time on the course with both.

Rich Beem picks Rory McIlroy over Scottie Scheffler to win the Genesis

Speaking on Sky’s coverage ahead of round three at Torrey Pines, Beem was asked who he favoured after walking the course with both during round two.

And according to Beem, despite the scoring, it is McIlroy who he feels has the upper-hand.

“I would have to say Rory right now, for me anyway,” Beem quipped. “I think Scottie Scheffler is relying on his short-game out there. There’s a lot of duct-tapes and band-aids but look, he’s world number one for a reason.

“He gets it done, he figures out a way to get the ball in the hole. Rory on the other hand has been really solid. I was really impressed with his wedge play. He hit a lot of good ones yesterday, made a lot of birdies from those wedge shots so that’s a big step in the right direction because listen, in terms of driving the golf ball, there’s nobody sexier in the game of golf on that.

“If Scottie can go and find a few more fairways, then it might be similar for him. But he’s also putting great at the moment, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the field. Once he gets up and putting, Scottie Scheffler’s going to be the big big danger man.

“Listen, I’m going to go with Rory this morning. I cannot wait to see how he attacks the course, he’s looked really sharp and picked up right where he left off at Pebble Beach.”

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Scheffler has the upper-hand on McIlroy statistically since 2022

Both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are two of the very best in the world and it’s great to see them both in contention at the moment at the Genesis.

However, in terms of the last few years, it is Scheffler who is on top.

Scheffler has led a PGA Tour round some 40 times now since 2022 – 21 more than McIlroy – and that should set him on a good footing to stay ahead in the final few rounds in San Diego.

As we know, if Rory turns it on, then he could also run away with it.

But with Scheffler so consistent, it will take a big drop from the world number one to allow McIlroy not only to come back at him, but to get over the line and win.