As the PGA Tour comes to an end at the end of August, the debate rages over who has the better season between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler in 2025.
With Scheffler adding the British Open and PGA Championship to his resume, 17 top-10 finishes in 20 starts and a coveted $27,659,550 in prize money, the world No. 1 seemed untouchable.
But as golf fans who regularly check sites like Betdaq and major betting exchanges discuss the season, one thing has become abundantly clear: McIlroy will not be glossed over. Not this year. It has nothing to do with history.
McIlroy reignited the debate when he became just the sixth player to complete a career Grand Slam – with the Ryder Cup and the race for Dubai ahead of him, the Northern Irishman was undoubtedly ahead of his American rivals at the end of the year.
McIlroy, 36, has little left to accomplish in golf beyond winning that elusive Olympic gold medal three years later in Los Angeles. Until then, let’s take a look back at one of the most remarkable seasons of his illustrious career.
Early season warning signs
Known for his fast starts, McIlroy spent the first few months shaping his form before the spotlight turned to Augusta.
But 2025 felt different from the start. His two-shot win over good friend Sean Lowry at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February was impressive, but a dramatic playoff victory over J.J. Spahn at The Players Championship suggested this might be an extraordinary year.
Momentum is building. Hope is rising. As the azaleas begin to bloom in Augusta National Park, a sense of destiny grows.
career grand slam
For McIlroy, there’s no more poetic place to end his long drought of majors than the Masters – his white whale, the only gap on his otherwise glittering career record.
But the road to the Green Jackets was far from easy. At several points over the weekend, especially in the tense final round, the ghosts of past Augusta collapses seemed to be hovering again.
This time, however, McIlroy stood firm.
In a gripping playoff match against Justin Rose, he finally exorcised those demons, completed the career grand slam and etched his name into golf’s most exclusive club. It was exciting, cathartic, historic – perhaps the defining moment of McIlroy’s career.
Irish Open success
The Royal Portrush Open didn’t deliver the fairytale home victory many had hoped for, although a tie for seventh was still a far cry from the heartbreaking miss at the same course in 2019. But within a few weeks, any lingering disappointment was erased.
At the K Club in September, McIlroy gave Irish fans another victory. A huge eagle putt on the 18th hole forced Rasmus Nergaard-Petersen into a playoff, and he needed just the extra holes to seal another memorable Irish Open victory.
It’s classic Rory – talent, grit and a touch of magic.
Ryder Cup away win
Back in January, McIlroy had three goals for the remainder of his career: win the Masters, win Olympic gold and win another Ryder Cup on the road. Many thought it could take years – especially the latter, since road wins are notoriously rare.
However, in one of the most dramatic Ryder Cups of the modern era, Europe shocked the United States with a 15-13 victory over rival Bethpage Black.
McIlroy is at the center of the accusation. Despite losing to Scheffler in singles, he took the lead again with three and a half points from four games in doubles. It was redemption, vindication, and a huge achievement.
Compete for the Dubai Championship for the seventh time
The final jewel in McIlroy’s 2025 crown comes with the DP World Tour. Going into the final race of the season, only two players had a chance of catching him in the Battle of Dubai standings.
Although McIlroy lost to Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at the DP World Tour Championship, he had done enough.
His seventh Medal of Honor—his fourth consecutive—cemented his place in history. Topping the legendary Seve Ballesteros and tying Colin Montgomerie’s record is an achievement that speaks not only to McIlroy’s talent but also his longevity.
