Jordan Spieth got the better of Rory McIlroy after the world's top two players were grouped together for the first two rounds of the 97th PGA Championship, but who has the best overall head-to-head record?
There was nothing between the pair on the opening day with a score of 71 carded by the world’s top two players. However, Spieth showed the form which has seen him scoop two major titles in 2015 with a five-under par 67 on Friday compared to McIlroy’s second successive 71.
“Jordan, from all the golf he has been playing, is sharp, very sharp. Rory hasn’t been so far over the first two days,” said Sky Sports’ Paul McGinley.
“Having said that there’s a good chance Rory will be in a better shape for the final two rounds.”
With both players in the hunt at the final major of the year, we take a look at how the two players have fared when paired together in the past…
Valero Texas Open 2013
McIlroy had already won two major titles in his career when he was coupled with Spieth for the first time in 2013. Spieth, just months into his professional career, did outscore the Northern Irishman in the first round but went off the boil in the second, eventually missing the cut with a four-over par 76. McIlroy scored impressively across the weekend and was only denied victory by Martin Laird’s spectacular 63 on the final day.
Masters 2014
It was a different story one year later as rounds of 71 and 70 put Spieth right in the mix at Augusta. McIlroy, however, shot 77 on day two to narrowly make the cut on the mark at four over, ending the tournament tied-eighth at level par, five shots behind Spieth who finished tied-second behind winner Bubba Watson.
The Open 2014
They may have played together, but there can be no comparing the players’ performances at Royal Liverpool. Spieth made the cut with scores of 71 and 75 but finished an incredible 14 strokes adrift of McIlroy, who shot 66 on Thursday and Friday to take command of the tournament on his way to a third major title.
Players Championship 2015
Spieth’s Masters win a month earlier intensified the ‘rivalry’ between the players, but their meeting at Sawgrass failed to live up to expectations. Spieth managed to miss the cut completely with scores of 75 and 72, while McIlroy fired his way to a top-10 finish.
PGA Championship 2015
The players made up part of the tournament’s ‘marquee’ group alongside Open winner Zach Johnson and there was nothing to separate them after the first round as both Spieth and McIlroy made their way round in 71. On day two, McIlroy mishit two chips at 18 on his way to a second one-under par round at Whistling Straits whereas Spieth fired four birdies in six holes to card a five-under 67.