World No. 2 Rory McIlroy heaped praise on PGA Tour rival Scottie Scheffler following the American's triumph at The Open Championship . Scheffler claimed his fourth major title on Sunday, not to mention his second of 2025. Scheffler, 29, once again demonstrated his superiority as he pulled clear of the field at Royal Portrush. He finished the tournament on 17-under-par , four strokes clear of runner-up Harris English in what proved to be yet another commanding triumph. Among those left trailing in the world No. 1's wake was McIlroy, who couldn't deliver the storybook victory the home supporters desperately hoped for. But the golf icon from Holywood was no less magnanimous in his response. Beginning the final round six strokes adrift of Scheffler, who won £2.3million in prize money at Portrush, McIlroy was unable to close the gap on Sunday. He shot a two-under 69 to conclude the week seven shots behind the newly crowned Champion Golfer of the Year. "Yeah, none of us could hang with Scottie this week," the 36-year-old told reporters at Portrush in a gushing review of his peer (via The Mirror US ). "He's an incredible player. He's been dominant this week. Honestly, he's been dominant for the last couple years. "He is the bar that we're all trying to get to. In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive. "Yeah, he's a very worthy winner. Also, he's a great person, and I think he's a wonderful ambassador for our game as well. I'm really happy for him and Meredith and his family." Scheffler has firmly established his dominance over the last couple of years. And as the Champion Golfer of the Year, he's just one US Open victory shy of joining McIlroy as a Grand Slam champion. "I think all you can do is admire what he does and how he does it," added McIlroy, who showed his true class in his reaction to Scheffler's triumph. "I think what he does is one thing, but how he does it is another. "He just goes about his business, doesn't do anything overly flamboyant, but he's the best at executing in the game right now. Yeah, he's been absolutely amazing over these past two to three years. As I said, all you can do is tip your cap and watch in admiration." McIlroy himself has had a season to remember in 2025, achieving Grand Slam status after finally clinching Masters success. But his focus now shifts towards the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in September. "I feel good," he continued. "I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset. Yeah, I feel like I'm getting back to where I want to be, and we've still got a lot of golf left this year with obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September." The Ryder Cup gets underway in Farmingdale, New York, on September 26. And both McIlroy and Scheffler appear destined to play very significant roles for their respective teams across the pond.