Xander Schauffele says what he now finds ‘scary’ about Rory McIlroy after his win at The Masters

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Rory McIlroy continued his dream start to 2025 by winning The Masters, triumphing at Augusta National for the first time in his career.

McIlroy is eyeing more major success this season, having secured his fifth such win in Georgia earlier this month.

The Masters champion McIlroy also completed the career grand slam with the victory, which he clinched via a playoff win over Justin Rose.

Scottie Scheffler has been told to up his game after McIlroy’s success, which represents his third PGA Tour win of 2025.

Scheffler finished fourth at Augusta as he failed to successfully defend his title from 2024, when he won the major for a second time.

Xander Schauffele says what he finds scary about The Masters winner Rory McIlroy

His fellow American Xander Schauffele meanwhile won the PGA Championship and The Open Championship last year, with Bryson DeChambeau winning the US Open.

And Schauffele, who just finished T8 at The Masters, has now shared his take on his PGA Tour rival McIlroy going forward.

READ MORE: The confident prediction Tiger Woods made about Rory McIlroy just last year which has already come true at The Masters

“He is a generational talent and to do what he did is incredible for the game of golf,” Schauffele said in a press conference for the next edition of The Open Championship.

“If that was something that was holding him back and now he feels free, that could be a pretty scary thing.

“He has all the tools. I’ve played against him when he’s firing on all cylinders and it’s not fun for me. It’s fun for everyone else to watch but it’s hard to beat.

“Would I be surprised if he started rattling [more majors] off? No. Am I going to be there to try and stop him? Absolutely.”

What Xander Schauffele really thinks about The Open Championship

Schauffele is very likely on the right track with his McIlroy perspective, with a massive weight certain to have been lifted from his shoulders last week.

There had been endless talk of the Northern Irishman not only completing the career grand slam earlier this month, but merely ending his major drought.

READ MORE: What Paul McGinley was ‘so fed up’ of hearing about Rory McIlroy before he won his first ever Masters title

He had previously triumphed all the way back in 2014, with questions constantly being asked about when he would finally get over the line.

Remarkably, however, McIlroy is still set to find himself under a constant barrage of pressure ahead of The Open.

And that will arrive given that the major is taking place at Royal Portrush, which is situated in McIlroy’s home nation of Northern Ireland.

Moreover, he missed the cut there at The Open in 2019, with Schauffele now giving his take on the iconic course.

“I’m from San Diego where [the wind] blows a blistering three miles an hour,” said the defending champion. “When I think of Open Championship golf, I don’t think of it being sunny.

“I think of people wearing beanies hunkering down, trying everything they can with their caddie to overcome that war that you’re at with the golf course. It’s such a validating and rewarding feeling to do it. I’ve got no problem if it’s bad weather.”