PGA star who claimed he was ‘better than’ Rory McIlroy makes thoughts clear after Masters win

Rory McIlroy won the Masters in April to complete the career Grand Slam – and his Ryder Cup rival Wyndham Clark has been full of praise for the Northern Irishman

Rory McIlroy has received respect from a fellow golf rival(Image: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Wyndham Clark has expressed his genuine admiration for Rory McIlroy following the golfer’s historic Masters win in April.

Clark had previously sparked controversy in the media with his bold comments about McIlroy ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup. Initially, the American golfer’s statement that he was “better than” McIlroy was misinterpreted, but he later clarified that his intention was to convey self-confidence rather than disrespect.

In 2023, Clark explained: “I want everyone to know, I think it was taken out of context. If you listen to the whole interview, I praised Rory and said how much I respect him and how good I think he is and how he’s one of the best players in the last 20 years.

“And what I said was I think I’m better than him when I’m playing good – if I don’t think I’m better than every player out here, then what am I doing? If I’m trying to be the best player in the world, which is what I’m trying to be, I’ve got to believe that.”

During the 2023 Ryder Cup, Clark and Patrick Cantlay ended up defeating McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick. However, he lost his singles match to Robert MacIntyre later that weekend, and Team Europe ultimately emerged victorious with a five-point margin.

In that same year, Clark edged out McIlroy for the US Open major title by a single stroke, a matter that surely flared up their competitiveness – with both having shared the lead at one point.

Now, two years on, McIlroy has etched his name among an elite group of six to achieve the career Grand Slam. The golfer achieved his lifelong dream by securing the elusive Masters in 2025, after edging out Justin Rose in an electrifying playoff for the Green Jacket.

The pair got a little tense during the 2023 Ryder Cup(Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Despite earlier rivalries, Clark is genuinely thrilled for McIlroy’s triumph. He even lauded McIlroy’s exceptional mental toughness as being a cut above some of golf’s greatest players.

Clark appeared on the Sky Sports Golf podcast and said: “It’s funny, I played with Fitzy [Matt Fitzpatrick] on Saturday and we were talking about that [McIlroy’s Masters win]. He has a category, so when someone gets to their fifth major, they’re in the upper echelon [of golf], they’re the highest of high.

“So when we saw Rory doing it, it honestly was amazing. I mean, we had Tiger Woods, and what Rory’s done in the absence of Tiger has been amazing, and obviously now Scottie [Scheffler].

Wyndham Clark has shared his respect for Rory McIlroy(Image: Harry How/Getty Images)

“It’s amazing to be a part of that, and I am hoping I can put my name in some of those lists and maybe get a few more majors.

“But to witness what he’s done, I mean, look at Jordan Speith – he’s an amazing player and he hasn’t done that yet. Justin Thomas, there are a lot of guys who haven’t won the Grand Slam, and Phil Mickelson too.

“It’s amazing what he’s done and the way he did it, going back to the mental side, battling adversity – I thought when he missed that putt, I thought ‘Oh, no’. But to come back and hit a great drive and scuff it and win, it’s amazing.”