It is hard to not think that it will be either Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau who win The Masters, with the pair set to tee it up in the final group at Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy is leading going into Sunday at The Masters for the first time since 2011. Many felt that the Northern Irishman had played himself out of contention with how he played the final four holes on Thursday.
But two rounds of 66 have not only brought McIlroy back into the mix, they have left him two shots clear.
Crucially however, it is Bryson DeChambeau who is sat just two shots back. DeChambeau made three birdies in his final four holes on Saturday to put himself in that final pairing heading into the last round.
What Bryson DeChambeau may be done in the final round of The Masters to annoy Rory McIlroy
It is impossible not to think back to the duel at Pinehurst at last year’s US Open. While they were not paired together on Sunday, it still felt like a battle with both men largely aware of what the other was doing coming down the stretch.
DeChambeau perhaps takes the psychological advantage into the final 18 holes at Augusta therefore. Nevertheless, Smylie Kaufman has told The Smylie Show that he is expecting DeChambeau to try plenty to knock McIlroy off his game.
“This is what’s going to happen: Bryson wants to get the crowd riled up and on his side. He wants more noise. Rory, for the most part, he wants to try and stay as even keel as he can. Of course, the motivating fist pumps after big putts, he’ll have some of that, but he wants to try and stay as level as possible. Bryson, on the other hand, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of the storylines tomorrow is, ‘wow, Bryson’s taking a lot of time’ tomorrow,” he said.
“I think something that is always benefitted Rory is when he gets on the weekend, playing in twosomes, he’s able to play quicker. He’s a fast player as it is, and I think if the only way to get underneath Rory’s skin in this, or try to – if anything – get Rory so excited and happy or mad, just try to get him emotional, whether it’s a fist pump and Bryson makes him maybe a little more impatient, or a little less disciplined or just gets him out of that frame of mind of one shot at a time, who knows, maybe there can be a long ruling.
“There’s so many different things that can happen tomorrow that could annoy Rory or take him out of the zone. I think that’s going to be hardest thing for Rory McIlroy tomorrow, is can you just keep one foot in front of the other, keep your eyes off of Bryson and just play the golf course? I think that to me is probably one of the biggest mental side of the deal storylines because I think you could easily, easily let your mind wonder out there tomorrow and watch the other person too much.”
Smylie Kaufman makes a prediction ahead of Sunday at The Masters
McIlroy has the edge because of the lead. But he started the third round two shots back of Justin Rose, and reached the top of the leaderboard during the front nine. So it really is incredibly difficult to call.
With that, Kaufman suggested that he is not convinced that 72 holes will be enough to separate McIlroy and DeChambeau.
“I think we’re heading to a playoff. I think somebody’s going to have a putt on the last hole to win The Masters from inside 10 feet. They’re not going to make it, we’re going to extras,” he said.
“I just have this weird feeling, maybe this is just my one and done heart pick, I kind of want to absolutely bury you in one and done so part of me wants to see Bryson get it done in that, because obviously that’s my pick. I still have to go Rory, I just think how well he’s playing. It’s just been stupid.”
A playoff would be horrendous for the nerves. But in what is shaping up to potentially be one of the best Masters of all-time, it would be fitting if it did end with one final showdown with only McIlroy and DeChambeau between the ropes.
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