When it comes to using a driver, there are very few golfers who can compete with Rory McIlroy. The speed he generates from his swings is spectacular. For a guy who is just 5’10, he is also able to hit the ball incredibly far off the tee. What’s even more amazing is that despite being such a long-range hitter, McIlroy is quite accurate with his drivers. That makes him a lethal player in any competitive event. And Donald Trump acknowledged that. In fact, he also stated that even Tiger Woods approved of it.

The President joined his granddaughter, Kai Trump, on her YouTube channel for a round of golf. After Kai hit a beautiful drive, his grandpa complimented her swing by saying, “Good hit. Really good, sweetheart. Really good and really long. She’s got a big extension.” Happy to hear her grandfather say that, Kai shouted, “I’m long. I’m very, very long.” Trump replied, “You are, honey. You have that extension. All long hitters have the big extension.” Intrigued by his statement, the junior golfer said, “Besides Rory.” That’s when Donald Trump started complimenting McIlroy.

Trump told his granddaughter, “Rory’s got a great swing. Tiger told me that Rory is the best driver that he has seen. For Tiger to say that, that’s amazing, right? Because Tiger’s great at everything. And he said Rory’s the greatest driver he has seen.” Kai agreed with what the President had to say as she said, “I would agree with that, 1000%.” The short dialogue between the Trump family lasted only about 40 seconds. But that clarified their views on Rory McIlroy. Just like Tiger Woods, they too believe that the Irishman is best at driving the ball.

As far as driving goes, McIlroy has absolutely dominated the PGA Tour in terms of distance & strokes gained off the tee. He is ranked second in average distance, covering 323 yards every drive. Only Aldrich Potgieter has hit longer than him on average this season. And he has gained an average of 0.671 strokes off the tee, second behind Scottie Scheffler‘s 0.748. And this has been a constant about his game throughout his career. That’s probably why Tiger Woods also admires Rory McIlroy’s ability with the driver. In fact, in a TaylorMade collaboration video, the big cat has also acknowledged the Irishman’s tendency to have a strong face at address, which increases the distance on impact.

Having said that, Tiger Woods was also quite prolific with the driver during his prime. In fact, he might have been just as good as Rory McIlroy, if not better.

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Was Tiger Woods better with the driver than Rory McIlroy?

After he completed the Tiger Slam, Tiger Woods announced himself to be a serious threat to the history of golf. He was in line to break many records, including some set by the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. In an attempt to stop him from doing so, the iconic Augusta National Golf Course’s management decided to change the setup of the fairway. And what did they do to ‘Tiger-proof’ it? They made every hole longer.

That’s because, during his prime, Woods was an exceptional hitter off the tee. For example, in 2005, he averaged 316.1 yards per drive throughout the season. That year, he won 6 titles, including the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship. In total, after Augusta National was ‘Tiger-proofed’, Tiger Woods won the Green Jacket two more times. So it’s evident that making the course longer certainly wasn’t the solution.