However, being a man of high expectations, McIlroy admits that he hasn't been performing at his best.
Scheffler has emerged as the dominant force in 2024, securing six victories on the PGA Tour, including the Masters, and an Olympic gold medal.
Schauffele, another American golfer, has also been in stellar form over the past year. After a long wait, he became a major champion, winning two majors within months.
He first secured the PGA Championship in May and just two months later, Schauffele was back on the podium, this time winning the Open Championship at Royal Troon, beating Justin Rose. As the season finale at the Tour Championship approaches, McIlroy finds himself starting four shots behind Schauffele and six behind Scheffler due to the staggered strokes system.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, despite being third in the world rankings, feels overshadowed by Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele's performances this year. "You know, seeing what Scottie and Xander have done this year - I'm third in the world rankings, but I feel like a distant third. You know, they've had great years, and I look at my year compared to them and, I mean, it doesn't compare."
On Thursday's opening round in Atlanta, McIlroy didn't manage to close the gap on the leaderboard significantly, delivering a two-under-par 69 with four birdies and a pair of bogeys.
Meanwhile, World No. 1 Scheffler has leapt ahead, bolstering his lead impressively.
Before the games, Scheffler had voiced his criticisms of the FedEx Cup finale system, which offered him only a one-shot advantage for his 25-week stint as the leader. Yet, Scheffler spoke volumes with his performance, not his words; he scored an impressive six-under 65 on day one, even after starting with a bogey, now seven shots ahead of Schauffele.
Post-round, a focussed Scheffler remarked: "I wasn't thinking about the lead out there today," and continued, ""There's no reason to. It's the first day of the tournament.
It's 72 holes. It's a long time out there to be playing with a lead or whatever it is. I was just focused on staying in my own world and continuing to just try to execute."
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