Schauffele: McIlroy with career Grand Slam monkey off his back a ‘pretty scary’ prospect

Xander Schauffele has admitted the prospect of Rory McIlroy playing unshackled after completing the career Grand Slam is “pretty scary” to think about.

McIlroy finally ended his 11-year wait for a fifth major with a thrilling Masters victory, beating Justin Rose in a play-off to add an elusive Green Jacket to his previous US Open, Open and PGA Championship successes.

He became just the sixth man in history to win all four men’s majors in the modern era, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods in achieving the feat, and said afterwards that he felt like he would be playing with “house money” going forward.

McIlroy boasts victories at Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National already this year, so it’s little wonder the thought of him feeling unburdened by the weight of pressure is a tough one to swallow.

“He is a generational talent and to do what he did is incredible for the game of golf,” said Schauffele.

“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.”

Schauffele enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2024, finally becoming the major champion he was always expected to be.

The American beat Bryson DeChambeau by a shot to win the PGA Championship at Valhalla and backed up that triumph with a stunning Open victory at Royal Troon.

He will defend the Wanamaker Trophy at Quail Hollow from May 15 to 18 and the famous Claret Jug at Royal Portrush in the middle of July, with June’s US Open at Oakmont sandwiched in the middle.

But after the thrills of Augusta, McIlroy mania is in full swing.

Many are backing the Northern Irishman to compete for more majors this season, while there has even been talk of a calendar Grand Slam.

Quail Hollow is a course McIlroy has won at four times, Oakmont is expected to suit the big hitters, and he will be roared on by the vast majority of the fans when The Open returns to Royal Portrush.

A record 278,000 fans are expected at the Dunluce Links in Northern Ireland, where Shane Lowry won in 2019, meaning almost all eyes will be on the home favourites.

However, that is something Schauffele is unfazed by.

“If I can cruise along and fly under the radar, that's exactly what I'll do,” he insisted, before adding that he hopes for similar conditions to those that he thrived in at Troon last year.

“I'm from San Diego where [the wind] blows a blistering three miles an hour. 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.”