The Rivalry We Need - McIlroy vs. Spieth

Professional golf is at its best when competition and conflict takes place on the golf course between competitors, rather than between suits on conference calls. Nicklaus vs. Trevino. Tiger vs. Phil. Brooks vs. Bryson. The concept of fans choosing sides, players fueling a rivalry with genuine distaste, and the media throwing gas on the narratives is at its core, what makes professional sport compelling.

The PGA Tour has a massive void in this department at the moment. The bad guys left, and at times it has felt like a boys' club with millionaire best friends playing for loads of cash on the weekend, but then enjoying post-round beers and dinner at a shared house. When a tee goes in the ground, they unquestionably want to beat each other but the fans, which have been a hot-button talking point priority this week want a reason to choose a side.

The Tour NEEDS a rivalry. A rivalry between top players, divisive in nature within the crowds so people can say, "These guys really don't like each other!" We may now have one developing and it's been taking place right under our noses for much longer than you may think.

Rory McIlroy vs. Jordan Spieth

2011-2015

I think you can trace the initial seed back to 2011. McIlroy was 22 years old and the golden child of the PGA Tour, ready to ascend into superstardom and capture his Masters green jacket. As we know, that Sunday did not go as planned for McIlroy who shot a final round 80. It was the worst final round in Masters history at the time. Less than a year later, a sophomore at the University of Texas decided to forgo the remainder of his college career to turn pro.

A few years later in 2015, 21-year-old Jordan Spieth went on to win The Masters in dominant fashion by 4 strokes. He made it look so simple and easy, systematically taking apart Augusta National in a totally different style than we saw from McIlroy, who happened to finish T4 that year. "How the hell does he 2 under par today?" McIlroy told the media post-round. "As much as it disheartens you to see those putts lip in, you have to take your hat off to him."

It was clearly a backhanded compliment. Nearly a decade later, Rory is searching for his moment in Green.

2015-2023

McIlroy amassed 4 Major Championships before Jordan Spieth dawned the green jacket in 2015 and has not won a Major since. Spieth would go on to tally an additional two Majors, leaving him 1-shy on the mantle behind McIlroy. I have been on-site at The PLAYERS all week, and I am left with zero doubt that these players are the two biggest "needle-movers" left on the PGA Tour.

Their legacies are intertwined because of their greatness and ability to captivate the attention of golf fans. But, their games couldn't be more distinctly different. They have been able to achieve tremendous accomplishments in radically different ways. Spieth does it with imagination, guts, and a touch of magic. McIlroy does it with unmatched power and grace.

Ryder Cup Roots

Thursday was not the first time the two players engaged in a highly spirited conversation with a rules official. They have both been leading figures for their respective sides in the Ryder Cup for years. In 2023, no players on either side had more Ryder Cup experience than Spieth and McIlroy. They have been the defacto leaders and most recognizable faces for the United States and European teams.

In 2021 at Whistling Straits, on the 17th hole of a Saturday foresomes match, a spirited debate between McIlory, Spieth, their caddies, and a rules official ensued. It was a pivotal match in which Spieth and Justin Thomas erased a big lead to get the match to 1-down late in the day. After a Thomas shot missed right of the green, Spieth found the ball and claimed it was stepped by somebody which entitled him to lift and place the ball back down. McIlroy ultimately obliged as pressure was mounting from the fans, but you could tell he was highly skeptical.

Guiding The Tour

The PGA Tour needed a player spokesperson and a voice for the entire organization. Whether by default or careful selection, the man who accepted the role was Rory McIlroy. In a time of need, McIlroy was the perfect man for the job. The eventual flip-flopping from the PGA Tour was a heavy burden for McIlroy who internalizes and hears everything, both the good and bad.

When the PGA Tour decided to add more players to the policy board and grant them a voting majority in the board room, McIlroy was a natural fit. But he had enough and stepped down to focus on himself, his game, and his quest for Majors. Take one guess who replaced him on the PGA Tour Policy Board? It was Jordan Spieth. During negotiations with investment groups, Spieth took a big role in talking on behalf of the players and securing the deal with SSG.

Spieth's voice carried a ton of weight, and he believed they were the best option for the PGA Tour moving forward. Spieth said publically that he hoped the deal with SSG meant they no longer the money from PIF. McIlroy on the other hand was now on the outside looking in, but verbalized his thoughts and uncertainly about this decision and how it could affect the future of the PGA Tour.

🚨👀⛳️ #DIFFERENCE OF OPINION — Rory McIlroy says he and Jordan Spieth recently had a 1 hour phone call to clear the air on difference of opinion about the PIF’s involvement in the future of golf after Spieth said the PIF was no longer needed following the deal with SSG and… pic.twitter.com/ZlXOvlnKiH

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) February 3, 2024

McIlroy thinks the PGA Tour needs to finalize a deal with PIF. Spieth does not. I'm sure the PGA Tour would love their two biggest stars and loudest voices to be in lock-step during these negotiations. It's become publically clear that they are not.

The PLAYERS Incident

I followed the Spieth-McIlroy grouping at The PLAYERS intently. There was never the "buddy-buddy" vibe you often see in pairings with chatter and small talk. McIlroy had that familiar bounce in his step and was walking briskly. a good 20 yards in front of Spieth and Viktor Hovland all day.

It all started on Hole 18, their ninth of the day, where McIlroy hit a draw that appeared to follow the path of the railroad ties for a bit before accelerating past them and into the water. I couldn't hear the conversation, but from my standpoint, Spieth appeared to be gestering and asking McIlroy if he was going to "re-tee", but Rory's caddie Harry was pretty adamant he knew exactly where it crossed. Conveniently enough, they picked a spot to drop where the green was within reach for McIlroy.

Then came the 7th hole. The saga ensued, which took place out of earshot from those following the group, but you could feel the animation from Spieth indicating something was wrong. I was shocked that the PGA Tour account decided to tweet and release the full audio from the interaction on the Tour account which was much more contentious than I had imagined. Anytime one player says, "You have to do what you feel is right", you know exactly how he feels about it.

Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland discuss McIlroy's drop on No. 7.

Rory makes double bogey to move from solo leader to T2. pic.twitter.com/dkV6a5Q22W

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 14, 2024

I was next to the media scrum post-round where players typically stop by for a few questions. Spieth and Hovland were clearly perturbed and wanted nothing to do with answering questions about the incident. McIlroy was obligated to stop by given his incredible round 1 and had to answer a few tough questions about what exactly went down on 7. The whole thing was awkward, and while they didn't verbalize it to the media, we all knew exactly how Hovland and Spieth felt about the ordeal.

Rory McIlroy was the center of a rules decision at the Players Championship. He explained it to the media after, but his partners did not.https://t.co/R1IAaNNfXH

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 15, 2024

The vibe in the group seemed much better today, in part because they knew everyone had eyes on their interactions. It is also unlikely that there is any deeply rooted animosity between them. I'm not sure they even consider each other to be rivals...but they should. The Tour needs it, the fans want it, and the media would go nuts for it.

Jordan broke the silence and spoke with the media following his round on Friday. After a full day to cool down, it's no surprise he downplayed how tense the situation was between the two of them.

Spieth talked briefly about “the drop” from yesterday pic.twitter.com/BeWciVBQ1a

— Joe I (@TourPicks) March 15, 2024

People want to choose a side. That's why we bet. That's why we care. That's why we watch. It's the ultimate reason why humans have always been drawn to sport. It cultivates the chance to root for one side, and root against another. These two players may not want it, but I believe it's exactly the shot of conflict adrenaline that the PGA Tour needs right now.

Can you imagine if we could somehow get a final-round pairing at Augusta National next month featuring Spieth and McIlroy?

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