Xander Schauffele shares Rory McIlroy ambition with Tiger Woods in little doubt

Xander Schauffele is aiming for the coveted career grand slam in golf – a dream he shares with Rory McIlroy.

A career grand slam is where a golfer wins all four major tournaments in their playing life. Schauffele claimed the first two major titles of his golfing career this year, winning the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

The American is now halfway to achieving his ambition, and one major title off McIlroy. The Northern Irish golfer, meanwhile, has just one hurdle to overcome – the Masters Tournament.

Schauffele has to secure the U.S. Open and the Masters to achieve the rare quadruple title and has admitted that it is something he has been fantasising about doing for some time. The 30-year-old told MailSport: “The career slam has always been written down as something I’ve wanted.

“Getting to two after not having one for such a long time is something that feels really good. Expectations can be a mean thing and I think all people in sport have a certain amount of cortisol in the body. You stress, you get anxious, have hard times. I have.

“So to get to two is great, and it makes me remember writing this stuff down with my dad at 13 or 14 – number one player in the world, majors, all these things.”

McIlroy is just one away from his goal – with Schauffele just one behind ( Image: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Schauffele came close to securing another Olympic gold medal to add to his Tokyo 2020 victory, ending round three in Paris joint first with Spain’s Jon Rahm. However, both round leaders dipped on the final day and Schauffele ended the tournament tied for ninth – 12-under-par and seven strokes away from leader Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy had more success at the Olympics, ending the tournament tied in fifth with a final score of 15-under-par, just four strokes off the leader. Both golfers may not have clinched any medals in Paris, but are dreaming of the ultimate achievement in their sport – and icon Tiger Woods is adamant it’s only a matter of time for McIlroy.

Before the Masters Tournament kicked off back in April, five-time winner Woods praised McIlroy’s talent, as per Golf Digest. “No question, he’ll do it at some point. Rory’s too talented, too good. He’s going to be playing this event for a very long time. He’ll get it done. It’s just a matter of when,” he said.

“I think Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week. You never know. I just think that the talent he has, the way he plays the game and how the golf course fits his eye, it’s just a matter of time.”