Career grand slam - who gets it first, Spieth or McIlroy?

[Lefty-Golfer 19]

9 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

I'll vote Spieth now and every year in mid April... and change my vote every year to McIlroy in mid August or so (or May if the schedule ends up changing)

:P

He did finish 4th today though, so he can't be THAT far away, can he?

he did finish 4th but it was a really nonfactor in the weekend. Much like the kid from China, he was never in the hunt.

14 minutes ago, jamo said:

I voted McIlroy. I just think he's a better player. And I think if/when he wins another, a few more will follow pretty quickly.

I think he has more talent and if he gets it lined I agree he has a higher ceiling...between the ears is another matter and Spieth has him crushed there.

[DeadMan 728]

I think Spieth edge's it a bit, because I feel like the PGA Championship fits his game better than Augusta fits Rory's. In other words, Spieth has won at many courses similar to what's normally on offer at the PGA Championship. I think Rory is going to need an almost perfect week, in terms of conditions and his game, to win at Augusta.

I think both will get it done, probably before the end of the decade. I think Spieth has a better shot to do it, though.

[ChrisP 258]

2 hours ago, Lefty-Golfer said:

 

I think he has more talent and if he gets it lined I agree he has a higher ceiling...between the ears is another matter and Spieth has him crushed there.

Does Rory really have more talent? Maybe in 2014 he did, but when in the last 3 years has he really looked like that guy in 2014? We're talking three years now almost since that PGA win at Valhalla. He has not contended in a major once since then....11 straight majors he's been a non-factor. And I know there's a lot of reasons....getting married, switching clubs, getting hurt...but one thing stays consistent: he can't putt. And putting is a big part of the game. You just can't say, "Well Rory is the most talented player out there but he just can't make any putts. If he could only putt." Well, that's part of being talented! If you can't putt, that lowers your talent. 

I love Rory. He's one of my favorite players. But I've moved to the belief that he's a really good player, but the Rory we saw in 2014 is probably not going to return anymore for any length of time. Maybe a tournament here or there where his putter gets hot, but not in a consistent fashion. Jordan, on the other hand, seems to stay great for longer periods of time.

Edited July 24, 2017 by ChrisP

[Wally Fairway 377]

This is an interesting poll, because I think these could be the only 2 guys currently playing that have won major championships that will win the Grand Slam.

The last player, not named Jordan or Rory, to have won more than 2 majors (meaning not the same one twice - looking at you Bubba), are ZJ & Kaymer. Then you get Cabrera (too old), Paddy (not gonna happen), Phil (obv the only one with more than a slim chance) and then Goosen.

So unless you can throw a dart and pick a young player with one major (Koepka, DJ, ????) then I'd rather just celebrate both Rory and Jordan.

Spoiler

I picked Jordan

 

[Lefty-Golfer 19]

43 minutes ago, ChrisP said:

Does Rory really have more talent? Maybe in 2014 he did, but when in the last 3 years has he really looked like that guy in 2014? We're talking three years now almost since that PGA win at Valhalla. He has not contended in a major once since then....11 straight majors he's been a non-factor. And I know there's a lot of reasons....getting married, switching clubs, getting hurt...but one thing stays consistent: he can't putt. And putting is a big part of the game. You just can't say, "Well Rory is the most talented player out there but he just can't make any putts. If he could only putt." Well, that's part of being talented! If you can't putt, that lowers your talent. 

I love Rory. He's one of my favorite players. But I've moved to the belief that he's a really good player, but the Rory we saw in 2014 is probably not going to return anymore for any length of time. Maybe a tournament here or there where his putter gets hot, but not in a consistent fashion. Jordan, on the other hand, seems to stay great for longer periods of time.

When Rory hits the ball well he is on another planet from Spieth, however, I guess consistency does have a place in the conversation. I don't mean to act as if Spieth is bad...just that he isn't near as good off the T and it does get him trouble. His short irons obviously are deadly and the putter. Well it is hard to give him to much credit for that. Speith is tough as nails and I have not really seen that from Rory in a long time!

[Piz 547]

Spieth needs a PGA and Rory needs a Masters.  I think it is more likely that Spieth will encounter a PGA venue, that suits him, before Rory conquers Augusta National.  

[ChrisP 258]

Mickelson has a fighting chance at the U.S. Open next year so I'm not going to count his career grand slam chances out yet. Shinnecock is as good a course for him as any in the U.S. Open rota. He nearly won it there in both 1995 and 2004. It's not overly long and plays to his strengths. You know Phil knows this and is going to put everything he has to winning that U.S. Open next year. If he doesn't succeed at Shinnecock, then I think his window will be all but closed. But I do think Phil will give it everything he's got and then some next June.

Then again, without Bones, I'm not so sure. He sure didn't look good without him this past weekend.

Edited July 24, 2017 by ChrisP

[woodzie264 384]

12 hours ago, Vinsk said:

I voted Spieth. Rory just doesn't have it for any more majors. Spieth has that deep desire that I think Rory has lost. 

agreed

[MuniGrit 71]

15 hours ago, dennyjones said:

McIlroy hasn't played the same since he broke up with the tennis player.   Add in the equipment change ...  He's not done but not now...

Didn't he win a major or two after? Rory can't win with his C game like Spieth can. He doesn't have the short game or the attitude.

[NCGolfer 170]

The trend line is favoring Jordan right now.  Rory is just starting to settle down after a significant equipment change but I still feel like he has a little bit to go.

[Groucho Valentine 321]

The Tiger era had us convinced that winning tournaments was easy. Its not. Neither of them could never win another major for all we know. But speaking hypothetically, Speith has an easier road. The two Opens are the hardest to win obviously, but i think the PGA is easier to win than the Masters. 

[saevel25 1,809]

5 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

The Tiger era had us convinced that winning tournaments was easy. Its not. Neither of them could never win another major for all we know. But speaking hypothetically, Speith has an easier road. The two Opens are the hardest to win obviously, but i think the PGA is easier to win than the Masters. 

I don't think it is. The PGA Championship has probably has the toughest field. In 2016, 49 out of the top 50 golfers in the Fed Ex cup points standings were in the field. Also, they had 98 out of the top 100 players in the world. Only two golfers since 1958 have won the tournament more than twice. I think you can guess who those two are.

[Midpack 41]

But asking the day after an extraordinary win by Spieth makes the poll kinda questionable no (classic recency bias)? Ask again after Rory's next major win and the results will likely be very different...

Edited July 24, 2017 by Midpack

[Groucho Valentine 321]

3 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I don't think it is. The PGA Championship has probably has the toughest field. In 2016, 49 out of the top 50 golfers in the Fed Ex cup points standings were in the field. Also, they had 98 out of the top 100 players in the world. Only two golfers since 1958 have won the tournament more than twice. I think you can guess who those two are.

True, but i think Augusta tests your game more than PGA setups typically do. 

[rehmwa 621]

I voted Jordan, but Rory could just flip a switch and just win a ton - he's funny that way.  Maybe it comes down more to the courses they'll need to win (of course the Masters is a single pick) and how the course fits their game.

[Dave2512 278]

Hard to say and everyone is high on JS again after the big win, he's the new Tiger again. Both are streaky and I truly believe Rory has more skill but he seems to struggle to put things together. JS appears to have the drive to rise above in big tournaments. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the PGA in a couple weeks.

[saevel25 1,809]

48 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

True, but i think Augusta tests your game more than PGA setups typically do. 

Since the winning score for the PGA Championship tends to be only a few strokes higher than The Masters, it probably depends on the year. I would say that in some cases the PGA Championship could provide a much stricter test. In the end I think the PGA Championship is a tougher one to win, especially multiple times.

[onthehunt526 254]

I believe Jordan will get it first, though I think they both will get it at some point. 

I don't necessarily think it will be this year that Jordan does it. Maybe the Bethpage Black PGA whenever that is, but he might do it at Quail Hollow in three weeks. 

Rory will eventually win a Masters, I think he'll be like 3 down after 54, trying to break up the roars on Sunday.