A new thrilling chapter in the ongoing rivalry between Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau is set to unfold on Sunday at Augusta National. McIlroy, 35, currently holds a two-shot lead over the unpredictable Californian as they head into the final round of the Masters.
Despite a rocky start for McIlroy in the first round, both golf stars have emerged as the standout performers in Georgia. However, recent history seems to favour DeChambeau who has bagged two Major titles since 2020.
Meanwhile, McIlroy, despite having won two more Majors than the 31-year-old, hasn’t claimed a Major title since his victory at the 2014 PGA Championship.
DeChambeau also appears to hold a psychological advantage over the Northern Irishman, having clinched the 2024 US Open after McIlroy faltered with three bogeys in the last four holes, effectively handing the title to the American.
DeChambeau has been known to taunt McIlroy in the past and didn’t shy away from ramping up the pressure again at Augusta, ahead of the final round. Mirror Sport delves into the history between these two competitors.
Six months after McIlroy’s meltdown at Pinehurst, he found himself face-to-face with DeChambeau once again ahead of ‘The Showdown’ event in Las Vegas. This event saw McIlroy team up with Scottie Scheffler of the PGA Tour to take on DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka from LIV Golf.
During a practice session, Rory McIlroy said: “I’d like to go up against Bryson and try to get him back for what he did to me at the US Open.”
The unwavering DeChambeau shot back with: “To be fair you kind of did it to yourself.” Caught off-guard, McIlroy could only respond with a crestfallen: “I don’t really know where to go from there.”
DeChambeau didn’t miss an opportunity to make a sly dig at McIlroy regarding their previous encounters. In the optimistic early days of 2024, as LIV Golf participants anticipated a potential merger agreement between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, DeChambeau had some choice words for McIlroy.
Despite McIlroy’s initial resistance to the Saudi-funded tour, alongside Tiger Woods, he seemed to have softened his stance as a consolidation appeared within reach. Addressing McIlroy’s shifting attitude, DeChambeau told Sports Illustrated that McIlroy should put his ego in check, saying: “[McIlroy] realises the game has to come back together. As do all of us. I’ve said from day one I want the game to come back together.
“We need the game to come back together. Not just for ourselves to play against the best players. But for the fans to see us play against each other again.
“And for the game of golf to grow the way we know it can. I just wish people would have taken meetings in the beginning. It was always simple. Egos got in the way.”
Ahead of their tension-filled final showdown at Augusta, DeChambeau made it clear that he is ready to capitalise on any slip-ups, reminiscent of the fateful moment at Pinehurst in 2024. The Californian left McIlroy reeling as he seized victory following the Northern Irishman’s trio of bogeys in the closing holes to snatch the US Open by a single shot.
Speaking on Saturday ahead of their climactic round, DeChambeau said: “I always leaderboard watch. Certainly want to know where I stand for sure. Rory was kind of moving forward. He was at 12-under, and I was kind of chasing a bit.
“When I made that, I looked up and I said, kind of as a statement: ‘Like, you know what, I’m still here. I’m going to keep going. I’m not going to back down’. Is there such a thing as overnight momentum? Yeah, for sure. I think there’s a bit of it. Is it going to be the full reason why I play well or not my best tomorrow? No. But there is momentum.”
In anticipation of the upcoming round, he added: “It will be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a long time, and I’m excited for it. We both want to win really, really badly. Shoot, there’s a lot of great players behind us, too. Got to be mindful of that. It’s about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best. It’s going to be an electric atmosphere.
“I think it’s fun, a feeling like you have to hit every single shot to the best of your ability, and you can’t let off the gas pedal. You just have to focus and play the absolute best golf you possibly can. When you’re leading, it’s a little different. I’ve had those times, as well. You attack that a little differently. But for me, I’ll be chasing tomorrow. It will be a fun test.”
As for McIlroy, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his composure and finally end his 11-year drought without a Major.
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