Xander Schauffele’s caddie makes ominous claim that doesn’t bode well for Rory McIlroy

The upcoming majors promise intense competition, with Xander Schauffele now halfway to achieving a career Grand Slam—a feat Rory McIlroy has been striving for over the past decade.

Schauffele’s caddie, Austin Kaiser, is exuding confidence about Schauffele’s prospects of completing the career Grand Slam next year. Once known as the “nearly man” of golf, American Schauffele has shed that label this year, securing two major titles: the PGA Championship in May and a recent triumph at The Open.

Schauffele’s performance at Royal Troon propelled him to second in the world rankings, surpassing Rory McIlroy. The top spot remains with Scottie Scheffler, who, despite his 2024 dominance, holds only two Masters titles among the majors.

Kaiser is optimistic about Schauffele’s continued success and potential to complete a career Grand Slam before his competitors. He stated, “After he won the PGA, I looked at him and said, ‘Let’s go for the Grand Slam in the next three.’ Let’s do it. Why not? He’s right there. He’s played well in Augusta. He’s played well in the US Open. I definitely could see him achieving that. No problem.”

Regarding his rivals, Scheffler has runner-up finishes at Valhalla and the US Open, with his best Open performance being a T7 finish last week. Meanwhile, McIlroy, along with Jordan Spieth, is one of the two active players closest to completing the career slam, having won three out of the four major titles.

McIlroy’s major victories include the US Open in 2011, PGA Championships in 2012 and 2014, and The Open in 2014. However, he has experienced a decade-long drought in major wins, with several close calls.

Schauffele is set to compete fiercely with Scheffler and McIlroy for the career slam next year. McIlroy’s close finishes include a second-place finish just three shots behind Scheffler at the Masters two years ago, which would have completed his own career slam. Only five players in history have achieved this feat: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen.

Schauffele’s caddie isn’t alone in believing Schauffele is well-positioned to join this elite group. Schauffele’s father, Stefan, shares this sentiment. He remarked, “It’s up to you guys to take a look at the statistics and see who has the greatest potential of being the next career grand-slammer because I think he’s the one who has the game. Yes, I’m being subjective but I think, objectively, you will arrive at the same conclusion.”

With his recent successes and strong support from his team, Schauffele’s quest for the career Grand Slam will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated storylines in the upcoming majors.