Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy… Who is the one golfer destined to win more events in 2026? The fans have stated their picks. 

McIlroy remains one of golf’s most explosive drivers, and he proved it with his win at the 2025 Augusta National. But Scheffler has separated himself as the world number 1.

While Rory thrives in peaks, Scottie operates with fewer valleys, turning elite ball-striking into routine contention. That’s what the fans noticed as well. 

One fan made a strong stance for Scheffler, stating, “Scheffler is a good bit better at golf than McIlroy, so Scottie.”

In the 2025 season, Scheffler led the PGA Tour with a 2.361 SG tee-to-green average. He also led in total strokes gained (2.743) and SG approach the green (1.291). Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy’s SG tee-to-green was 0.946, SG approach the green was 0.157 (68th), and SG total was 1.543 (3rd). 

In driving distance, however, Scheffler fell behind with 308.3 m (44th), while McIlroy stood second with 323 m. From the tee, Scheffler has hit about 63% of fairways, but McIlroy has hit only 52%. All of these numbers have effectively put McIlroy right behind Scheffler, in second position, on the Official World Golf Ranking. 

But did other fans feel the same way?

Fans Rooted for Scottie Scheffler More Than Rory McIlroy

One fan claimed, “Scottie by design. He will play more often, and Rory is big game hunting only.” And another added, “I don’t think it’s even a question, at least to this point. Scottie is a machine and week to week is there in the thick of it when the weekend comes.”

Rory McIlroy made it into 16 events in 2025 and made 15 cuts. He ended up in the top 10 eight times and won three events, with one second-place finish. His FedEx Cup rank? T23.

Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler appeared in 20 events and never missed a cut in the last season. He won six events, finished in the top five 12 times, and all of his finishes came in the top 20 spots. 

One more fan claimed, “Scotty. Rory will sabotage himself with dumb wedge shots from inside 100 yards and continue to make dumb bogeys…” Another fan wrote, “Scottie.  His chilled zen personality is perfect for professional golf.”

Scheffler gained +2.74 strokes per round overall, avoided bogeys, and kept his mistakes to a minimum. His calm demeanor ensured he dropped fewer shots in the late rounds. Meanwhile, McIlroy gained only +0.11 strokes around the green and recorded higher bogey rates. 

Hence, Scheffler’s consistency, accuracy, and volume edge position him as the safer bet to win more events in 2026 overall clearly.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Joyita Das