Scottie Scheffler has now posted seventeen consecutive top-10 finishes. Even after opening with a 2-over round, he managed to get back into contention by Sunday. Rory McIlroy took notice and made a comparison that carries weight in golf: Tiger Woods.

At his press conference before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, McIlroy was asked about the gap in the Official World Golf Ranking between Scheffler and the rest. Instead of defending his own position, he broke down the reasons for the difference.

“If I had a critique of myself last year is that I didn’t bring the consistency that I maybe would have wanted post the Masters,” McIlroy admitted, before turning his attention to the man 284 ranking points ahead of him.

“Scottie just had his 17th top-10 in a row,” McIlroy said. “He brings — even you look at him last week, he shoots 2 over in the first round, and he just pieces it together again, finds a way, has a chance to win on Sunday. He’s relentless.”

Scheffler’s first-round 73 at the WM Phoenix Open ended his run of 33 straight sub-par rounds. It made no difference to the outcome. He finished tied for third, kept his top-10 streak alive, and showed again why the gap in the Official World Golf Ranking, 695 points to McIlroy’s 411, remains so wide. McIlroy was clear in his assessment.

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“I’ll never stop singing Scottie’s praises because he’s incredible at what he’s doing and the way he does it,” he continued. And then he went further: “He’s really the first one since Tiger that’s doing this.”

In professional golf, being compared to Tiger Woods is significant. Woods has 82 PGA Tour wins and 15 majors, and he set the standard for dominance over two decades. When a player like McIlroy, with five majors, makes that comparison, it carries more weight than when it comes from commentators or fans.

McIlroy was not focused on talent. He was pointing to the ability to deliver results every week, while others are inconsistent.

The statistics support McIlroy’s view. Scheffler is now one of only two players, along with Woods, to win four consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year awards. Woods holds the record with five straight from 1999 to 2003. Scheffler’s 17 top-10 finishes, his win at the American Express to start 2026, and his recovery at Phoenix from a poor first round to a top finish all show his consistency.

“Anyone that wants to catch Scottie or get anywhere close is going to have to consistently bring that sort of game week in and week out like he does,” McIlroy said.

He knows what that means for himself.

Rory McIlroy’s self-critique reveals the gap he’s chasing

“I’ve had nice runs like that, but I’ve always been a little more up and down,” McIlroy acknowledged. No bitterness in the delivery. Just a player reading his own box scores honestly.

McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam at Augusta last April. He also won at Pebble Beach and at the Players Championship, and helped Europe win back the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Despite these achievements, the gap in the Official World Golf Ranking grew. Scheffler’s consistency has been greater than McIlroy’s best results.

McIlroy was not making excuses. He was identifying the specific quality that separates him from Scheffler. It is not about talent or isolated results. It is about the relentless consistency Scheffler shows in every tournament, every round, and every comeback from a poor start.

The main takeaway from Pebble Beach is McIlroy’s tone. He was not bitter or resigned. He was clear about where he stands and what is required to close the gap.