Back in 2015, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth were the best two golfers in the world and Gary Player was hugely excited by both of them.
Somewhat bizarrely, Player named Spieth as the best player in the world back in August, despite the fact that he had not won a tournament in more than three years!
McIlroy had four major championships to his name at the time, although he did end the 2015 season without any wins at the four biggest events in the game.
Meanwhile, Spieth won The Masters and The US Open – the first two majors of the year at the time – in 2015 and seemed destined to go on and win many, many more.
Incredibly, Spieth and McIlroy held all four majors at the same time after the American’s victory at Chambers Bay in 2015.
They were undoubtedly the two most dominant forces in the game.
What do you think is the real reason why Jordan Spieth has not won on the PGA Tour since 2022?
Player enjoyed a period of dominance himself from 1959 to 1978 when he won nine major championships.
The South African knows more than most about what it takes to win majors, so when he was asked about McIlroy and Spieth’s prospects of adding to their tallies in 2015, it was really interesting to hear his response.
Gary Player predicted who’ll win more majors out of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth
While McIlroy has gone from strength to strength over the past decade, Spieth has struggled to maintain the levels he showed during his first three or four years out on tour.
The Dallas native has been stuck on three major wins for eight years now, with his last triumph coming at The Open in 2017.
He has really been struggling with his game over the past few years, but way back in 2015 it seemed like he was destined to challenge the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods for major victories.
10 years ago, Player was asked by Golf Magic which golfer will end their career with more major championships out of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
He said: “Right now, Rory McIlroy is the best player in the world. That swing he has is going to help him win a lot of major championships. In my opinion he has the best all-around game. He just needs to stay healthy.
“But I have said the best putter in the world is the one who is going to win tournaments and majors. Right now, that player is Jordan Spieth. Only God knows who it will be five years from now. But Jordan is wise beyond his years on and off the golf course. He has proved that this year. Obviously, these two are the future of golf.“
A lot can still change of course, but as things stand, it seems like Player was spot on with his prediction.
Nobody would be surprised to see McIlroy go on and win two or three more majors before he retires, while Spieth seems a long way away from winning even a regular PGA Tour event, let alone one of the big four.
Rory McIlroy vs Jordan Spieth: Major records compared
McIlroy quite incredibly had to wait 11 years between his fourth and fifth major wins.
Which four players do you choose?
Spieth will soon begin his ninth year without a major championship victory to his name, and nobody would have predicted that a decade ago.
Here is how the major records of both McIlroy and Spieth compare:
| Achievements | McIlroy | Spieth |
| Majors played | 67 | 51 |
| Wins | 5 | 3 |
| Top-5s | 19 | 12 |
| Top-10s | 33 | 14 |
| Cuts made | 55 | 42 |
Spieth has only recorded two top-10 finishes in the majors since The Open Championship in 2021.
He has struggled desperately with his game over the past three years and many golf fans doubt that he will ever return to his best.
It really would be a huge surprise if Spieth ended his career with more majors than McIlroy.
However, golf is a strange old game. If the 32-year-old Texan manages to chalk off one win and regains his confidence, who knows what might happen?
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