The whole world felt the thrill of Rory McIlroy’s emotional rollercoaster ride to the Masters title. The getting on his knees and breaking down before he lifted the trophy was the highlight of his career, so much so that even global leaders jumped on the congratulatory bandwagon. President of Ireland Michael Higgins lauded McIlroy’s “truly outstanding achievement” in securing the career Grand Slam. Even Donald Trump tweeted his praise, saying, “Congratulations to Rory, what a great job he did!” As he donned the Green Jacket, McIlroy shed the weight of his long-held burden, proving himself a master of perseverance. And now, his win is the reason, one golfer won’t get this much attention if he completes his Grand Slam.

In the latest episode of the Fore Play podcast plus on YouTube, Sam “Riggs” Bozoian threw some serious shade Jordan Spieth‘s way, comparing him to Rory McIlroy. According to Riggs, it’s all about expectations — “I think it’s just expectations, man.” Riggs believes that McIlroy is going to win the career Grand Slam again before Spieth does, simply because people feel like McIlroy has the momentum and “could win any tournament” at any given time.

Riggs pointed out that McIlroy was winning tournaments consistently, even when he wasn’t winning majors, saying “Rory was winning the Players, he was winning the FedEx Cup, even when he wasn’t winning the Masters.” Meanwhile, Spieth seems to have lost his luster, with Riggs stating: “I don’t think people feel like he’s got the pop to like get it done at a major right now… I just feel like he’s fallen off a lot… He’s fallen off a lot since… I feel like he’s fallen off a lot.”

Trent Ryan chimed in, noting that even during McIlroy’s 10-year drought without a major win, he was still “really, really relevant in the golf world,” winning other tournaments and getting close to winning majors. In contrast, Spieth has been “off in the wilderness” for years, with occasional flashes of brilliance, as Ryan put it: “There’s been years where Jordan Spieth is just off in the wilderness and you don’t know where he is, and then he’ll come back within the last couple years and win a couple tournaments and you’re like ‘Okay.’”

Well, it is true. Spieth was last seen holding a trophy back in 2022 at the RBC Heritage, and his last major win was even way back at the 2017 Open Championship – a fact that highlighted his recent struggles in the golf world. This lack of recent success was evident at the PGA Championship, where the 31-year-old Spieth shot a 5-over 76, 12 shots behind leader Jhonattan Vegas, and ultimately missed the cut, a disappointing outcome that all but ended his hopes of capturing the one major that had eluded him. Spieth’s struggles were nothing new, having been in the middle of the pack over the past five years with four finishes between 29th and 43rd, and still chasing the PGA Championship, where he’d had some close calls but hadn’t been able to seal the deal.

Frankie Borrelli added that it’s interesting how the golf world perceives these two golfers, saying “Yeah, that’s fair. It’s just something about that achievement… when you have that chance to get the Grand Slam, it should be the biggest story.” Riggs and the gang seem to think that Spieth’s lack of recent relevance is why his potential career Grand Slam win wouldn’t get the same attention as McIlroy’s did.

Rory McIlroy explains why his and Jordan Spieth’s quest for a Career Grand Slam are different

Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of the career Grand Slam was a weighty endeavor, with the Masters looming large like a specter. “I think I’ve carried that burden since August 2014. It’s nearly 11 years,” McIlroy said, relieved to have finally shed the load. In contrast, Jordan Spieth’s quest for the career Grand Slam has been a more relaxed quest, with the PGA Championship not quite the same boogeyman for him. McIlroy noted that Spieth’s situation is different, saying “I think, for Jordan having to — you have to go back to the same tournament every year for Jordan, but not the same golf course… it’s a bit of a different proposition for him rather than me having to go back to the same venue every year.” This difference in experience is evident in Spieth’s approach to the tournament.

Spieth himself seems to agree, saying “I’ve been surprised — there’s been a number of years I’ve come to the PGA, and no one’s really asked me about it… If Rory didn’t [win the Masters], then it wouldn’t have been a storyline for me here necessarily.” Despite this, Spieth is eager to throw his hat into the ring and give it a shot: “For me, if I could only win one tournament for the rest of my life, I’d pick this one… I’d love to throw my hat in the ring and give it a chance come the weekend this week.” With no ghosts to vanquish, Spieth’s focus is on cementing his legacy – and maybe, just maybe, he’ll join the exclusive club of career Grand Slam winners.