Rory McIlroy is one of only three golfers to win four majors by age 25. Jordan Spieth is the youngest player ever to earn a PGA Tour membership, and the youngest to win on the PGA Tour in 82 years. Each young golfer has earned three of the four legs of the coveted Grand Slam. McIlroy and Spieth trade top spots often, but they are currently ranked 3rd and 4th in the world, respectively.

McIlroy is only a Masters win away from a Career Grand Slam, and Spieth needs a PGA Championship for the same. If they achieve this, it will make either man only one of six individuals to have achieved the prestigious accolade. It is a favorite topic of discussion by fans of the game on the cart between holes.

That accent is divine.

It’s easy to see how these two young, influential golfers could become the next big rivalry in golf, evoking memories of the wonder days of Palmer vs. Nicklaus. Their play styles are distinctly opposite. The Irish brogue and the Texas twang set them apart even further.

Spieth is a very careful player who is committed to winning above all else. If he were a cook, he would follow a recipe step by step, never deviating from the instructions, ending with a flawless presentation and a Michelin meal.

McIlroy plays the game as it comes, never afraid to detour or take a chance. Finding him cooking dinner would be to watch an expert who never measures and never sets a timer—but the resulting meal is the best you’ve ever had.

Commentators the world over seem to enjoy pointing out their differences. McIlroy brings you surgical precision and form, while Spieth just seems to get it right through pure determination and grit. Both are a joy to watch for remarkably different reasons.

Inconceivable!

Therivalry between Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth looks set to be one of the all-time golfing matchups . Their startling numbers and persistent dominance have flung them into a head-to-head race for a position among the all-time greats. That’s where the rivalry fails to ignite. They’re both too classy and too friendly to wish ill upon the other. In fact, they seem to like having a worthy competitor and regularly cheer for one another and share congratulations.

An unintended consequence?

Their place in the history of such an illustrious game declares the rivalry will exist whether they agree. It might not be a contentious rivalry, but the world is watching, all the same, to see which one of these talented young players will win.

Since his win at the 2014 British Open, McIlroy has been one win away from a Career Grand Slam. He has also only won one major since then. The question one can ask, then, is whether this means he may well lose the race—or that he is due for another major win imminently.

With no outstanding strengths or notable weaknesses, Spieth manages to be more consistent and stumble less often than most of his competitors in the field. It seems, then, really just a matter of time before he plows his way through to achieving a PGA win.

The numbers don’t lie.

If you look at their numbers alone, there is a lot to show that these two men should be considered in the pantheon of golfing greats. Their numbers are also a keen indication they are each other’s closest rivals .

Through their first 113 events on the PGA Tour as professionals, McIlroy had 11 wins and four majors. Spieth had 11 wins and three majors.

Either Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth has been World Number One for 62 of the last 66 weeks. Combined, they have won four of the last eight Major Championships.

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth have played in the same field on 37 occasions since Spieth turned professional in 2012. Of those events, each has lifted the trophy four times, but, in terms of higher finishes, McIlroy leads the overall head to head.

Over the 37 events they have both played together, McIlroy’s average score (70.2) is only half a shot better per round than Jordan Spieth’s (70.7). However, Spieth has come out better in four of their last six joint appearances.

There is no doubt that Spieth is likely to win a PGA Championship over the course of his career. Considering the possibility is simply a numbers game. He will have many opportunities to claim the missing PGA title he needs to win a Career Grand Slam. The question, however, is whether he can do this before Rory enters another period of winning streaks the golfing world has come to expect.