In what feels like the ideal situation for golf right now, we will see Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau battle it out at Augusta to effectively become Masters champion.
McIlroy has a four shot lead over the next best player in Corey Conners, with DeChambeau two behind.
McIlroy and DeChambeau have never gone head to head on the final day in a major and while the US Open in 2024 saw them battle it out in different groups and DeChambeau come out on top, it’s not been seen as a pair.
Of course, that US Open was one of the standout sporting moments of 2024 and DeChambeau’s antics after were quite the visual.
As for the relationship between McIlroy and DeChambeau, the American has now revealed how things are.
Bryson DeChambeau shares how Rory McIlroy has been with him since the US Open
With the duo being two of the best golfers in the world and McIlroy being so upset at Pinehurst, there have been suggestions there’s some needle between the two.
However, DeChambeau admitted after his third round that it’s simply not the case and ultimately, he and McIlroy are cordial – if not best friends.
“No. Not really. He said congrats at the British Open — at The Open championship, excuse me. And that’s pretty much it,” DeChambeau commented.
“We’ve been fine ever since. It’s not really been an issue. It’s just going to be a fun day tomorrow. I’m really excited for the test.”
| Year | Driving distance (yards) | PGA Tour rank |
| 2018 | 305.7 | 25 |
| 2019 | 302.5 | 34 |
| 2020 | 322.1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 323.7 | 1 |
DeChambeau then continued his interview and got onto the subject of just how good the crowd could be given he and McIlroy’s popularity.
Indeed, the US Open winner believes things could be seriously exciting.
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, and it’s, you know, shoot…there’s a lot of great players behind us, too. Got to be mindful of that and focus on…it’s about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best. In regard to the Patrons, it’s going to be an electric atmosphere,” he added.
- READ MORE: Tom Kim says what score he thinks Augusta member Michael McDermott shot on day three of The Masters
How Bryson DeChambeau’s short-game is rescuing him at The Masters
While so much has been made of Bryson DeChambeau’s big hitting over the years, it’s actually been his work around the greens that has done the business at The Masters.
Indeed, in a stat shared by Justin Ray, DeChambeau’s performance around the putting surface has been nothing short of remarkable.
With both he and McIlroy two of the biggest hitters in golf, it will be interesting to see if both need to rely on their short-game skills as much in the final round.
If it does come down to it, then DeChambeau might just have the edge as it stands.
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