As Rory McIlroy heads into the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he sits just one shot off the lead, poised for victory. But if he’s to close the deal, McIlroy knows exactly who he needs to emulate—Scottie Scheffler.
McIlroy delivered a flawless third round in brutal conditions, proving once again that his European upbringing serves him well in wind and rain. Yet, as he looks toward winning big tournaments again, McIlroy is focusing on one key trait—eliminating mistakes, just like Scheffler.
McIlroy: “I Want to Play More Like Scottie Scheffler”
Speaking after his seven-under third round, McIlroy admitted that while his performance was one of his best, he still sees room for improvement.
“Yeah, probably not as good as his final round at the Irish Open, but it was pretty good,” McIlroy said. “I didn’t make any mistakes.”
And that, according to McIlroy, is the difference between being great and dominant.
“One of the things I really want to do this year is try to limit my mistakes and play bogey-free golf. Three of my last four rounds have been that way—last round in Dubai, first round here, and now this round. Just really try to limit the mistakes and play smart golf and be a little more like Scottie Scheffler, basically.”
McIlroy’s Admiration for Scheffler: “He’s Even More Error-Free Than Tiger”
McIlroy isn’t just inspired by Scheffler’s ability to go bogey-free—he believes it’s something no golfer has ever done better.
“I’ve never—this is anyone, this is Tiger, this is in the history of golf—I don’t think I’ve ever seen a golfer play as many bogey-free rounds as Scottie.”
High praise from a four-time major winner who has played against both Tiger Woods and Scheffler at their peaks.
“He just doesn’t make mistakes. It’s so impressive. He plays the right shot at the right time over and over and over again. You obviously need the technical ability to be able to do that, but he doesn’t make mistakes. And when you don’t make mistakes on the golf course, the game can become pretty easy.”
McIlroy knows that if Scheffler keeps this up, he’ll continue to dominate the sport.
“If he continues to do that, he’s going to be the dominant force that he was last year and the year before that.”
Can McIlroy’s New Approach Lead to Major No. 5?
McIlroy’s last major victory came in 2014, and while he has racked up wins worldwide, the big one has eluded him for nearly a decade.
But if he can adopt Scheffler’s no-mistakes mentality, it may only be a matter of time before major No. 5 arrives.
With McIlroy in prime position at Pebble Beach, this weekend could be the start of his return to dominance.
