LONDON - Rory McIlroy has ramped up his rivalry with Jordan Spieth by admitting he is "desperate" to win the final major of the year to stop the newly crowned Open champion completing a career Grand Slam before him.
Spieth, winner of the Masters and the US Open in 2015, could become only the sixth player to win all four modern majors at next month’s US PGA Championship following his stunning three-shot victory at Royal Birkdale.
And McIlroy, who is a green jacket away from achieving the same feat, is determined to ensure he gets another crack at Augusta before Spieth writes himself into history.
"I desperately want to prevent him from doing that," McIlroy said.
"Obviously I want to get another major under my belt and go to Augusta trying to do it. Being one leg away from that Grand Slam brings its own pressure and I’ve experienced that over the last couple of years.
"Jordan’s riding on the crest of a wave at the minute and he’ll go into Quail Hollow with a lot of confidence. But I’ve done well around there and had some good results in the US PGA, so I’d love to make him wait an extra year."
Since winning The Open in 2014, McIlroy, has finished fourth, tied 10th and tied seventh at the Masters as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. He ended up seven shots behind Spieth on the Southport links and now concedes the 23-year-old Texan is the favourite for the showpiece events.
"I watched a few highlights on Sunday and what he did over those last five holes sums him up," McIlroy said. "Jordan is the guy I’m going to have to beat. He’s come on the scene and no one works harder, no one goes about their business as diligently as him.
"I played a practice round with Darren Clarke before The Open and he said, 'Who do you think it’s going to be?' I said 'Jordan, by far. You have no idea how good this guy is'. I texted Clarkey on Sunday and said, 'There you go, I told you'."
Spieth’s challenge for the Claret Jug came under threat on the 13th hole on Sunday when a wild drive left him playing from the driving range. However, he recovered to make bogey before two birdies and an eagle in the final five holes moved him clear of Matt Kuchar.
The one that won it. #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/RfrJdByJXP
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 23, 2017
McIlroy was not surprised. "His mentality is so impressive, his ability to not dwell on a bad shot and focus on what’s next," he said.
"From day one - shooting that bogey-free 65 - it looked like he was the guy to beat. He went out there and grabbed that Claret Jug."
McIlroy will go into next month’s US PGA with confidence after battling back from a poor start to finish tied fourth at The Open and he says Spieth will drive him on to greater things.
"We’re making each other better players by trying to beat one another," he said. "We’re just trying to one-up each other all the time. Your ego gets in there as well. I see Jordan doing what he did on Sunday and I think, 'I can do that as well'.
"There’s a bit of defiance in there. You think, 'I’m going to Quail Hollow to prevent him winning that Grand Slam'. That’s the competitive mentality you need to have."