Xander Schauffele Concerned About Rory McIlroy Turning Into Something 'Scary' After Masters Win

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We'll know sooner rather than later if Rory McIlroy finally getting his hands on the green jacket will propel him to go on a major championship-winning run. Nobody would be shocked if that becomes a reality in the coming years, including the No. 3 player in the world, Xander Schauffele.

Not only did McIlroy's Masters victory make him just the sixth player of the modern era to complete the career Grand Slam, but it also ended an 11-year major championship drought for the now 35-year-old. Checking both of those boxes has presented this idea that McIlroy will finally be able to get back to playing freely for the first time in over a decade, which for Schauffele, is a scary, scary prospect.

"He is a generational talent and to do what he did is incredible for the game of golf," Schauffele told reporters in a media preview for this year's Open at Royal Portrush.

"If that was something that was holding him back and now he feels free, that could be a pretty scary thing.

He has all the tools. I've played against him when he's firing on all cylinders and it's not fun for me. It's fun for everyone else to watch, but it's hard to beat."

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Rory McIlroy could be 'scary' moving forward, according to Xander Schauffele. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)

Schauffele talking up McIlroy with that type of language may come off as a bit strange, but it reflects just how meaningful it was for the game of golf to have McIlroy get across the finish line at Augusta National and etch his name into the history books.

Plus, Schauffele was sure to let the world know he'd be right there trying to slow down McIlroy along the way.

"Would I be surprised if he started rattling [more majors] off? No. Am I going to be there to try and stop him? Absolutely," he said.

Schauffele will be looking to defend both his PGA Championship and Open Championship later this year at venues that McIlroy knows all too well. Next month's PGA Championship is being held at Quail Hollow, a North Carolina track McIlroy has won at a handful of times. Then, July's Open at Royal Portrush happens to be in McIlroy's home country of Northern Ireland.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets, including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016, when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.