Rory McIlroy had no comeback for ruthless Bryson DeChambeau dig over major collapse

Rory McIlroy had no comeback after Bryson DeChambeau delivered a few harsh words over his 2024 US Open collapse.

A year on from one of his biggest career disappointments, McIlroy met DeChambeau in similar circumstances on Masters Sunday in 2025, but thankfully for him, history did not repeat itself.

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In June 2024, the Northern Irishman threw away a huge lead over DeChambeau with three dropped shots on the closing four holes to blow a Major he seemed destined to win.

But McIlroy got a shot at revenge less than a year later at the Masters, when he took a two-shot lead into the final round aftera record-setting Saturday saw him carding a six-under 66.

That meant the world number two partnered with DeChambeau for Masters Sunday.

The American, however, fell away and finished tied-fifth while McIlroy needed a play-off to beat Justin Rose and win his first Masters.

‘Did that to yourself’

McIlroy’s historic Masters triumph was his fast Major success in 10 years, but it had previously looked as though that run was going to end at Pinehurst in 2024

Leading by two shots with five holes to play, it looked as if he would end that long wait without a Major title.

However, it wasn’t to be, and ahead of The Showdown in December 2024, between McIlroy, DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler, the American made a public dig at McIlroy, although it was all said in jest.

LIV Golf published a video of the pair practicing at the Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas.

In that clip, McIlroy says: “I’d like to go up against Bryson and get him back for what he did to me at the US Open.”

DeChambeau responded by saying: “To be fair, you kind of did that to yourself.”

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McIlroy didn’t say anything for a while until he eventually responded with: “I don’t really know where to go from there.”

Throughout the whole thing, the duo can be seen laughing, and it’s clearly all a joke that McIlroy takes very well, given he’s the target of the gag.

Frosty

It was all business when the pair met again on the course at Augusta National last year, with DeChambeau revealing McIlroy did not talk to him once.

Asked how McIlroy was feeling after signing his card, he said: “No idea. Didn’t talk to me once all day.”

Pressed by another reporter on whether he had tried to initiate conversation during the round, DeChambeau added: “He wouldn’t talk to me.”

This wasn’t the only tense moment between the pair, who also had a disagreement on the ninth green over who would putt first.

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Despite the lack of conversation, DeChambeau later said he felt bad for McIlroy when the Northern Irishman hit his approach to the 13th into Rae’s Creek to run up a double bogey.

“I wanted to cry for him,” he said. “I mean, as a professional, you just know to hit it in the middle of the green, and I can’t believe he went for it, or must have just flared it.

“But I’ve hit bad shots in my career, too, and it happens. When you’re trying to win a major championship, especially out here, Sunday of Augusta, the Masters, you have to just do it and get the job done and do it right.

“There were times where it looked like he had full control and at times where it’s like, what’s going on? Kind of looked like one of my rounds, actually.”

Last year, McIlroy became just the sixth man to complete golf’s career Grand Slam, but it wasn’t without his drama.

He threatened to squander a five-shot lead with eight holes to play, before holding his nerve to birdie the first extra hole after an extraordinary final day at Augusta National.

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Rivalry for the ages?

McIlroy and DeChambeau’s rivalry has only continued to bubble in the 12 months since they met at Augusta.

Ahead of a heated showdown at Bethpage Black last September, DeChambeau promised he would be ‘chirping’ in McIlroy’s ear at the tournament.

This drew an angry response from the five-time major winner, who fired back by accusing the American of using his name for headlines.

And after leading Europe to victory in New York, McIlroy playfully covered DeChambeau’s name with a European flag during his team’s celebrations.

More recently, McIlroy has opened up on how the pair clashed on the ninth hole at Augusta last year in a new Amazon Prime documentary detailing his Masters win.

And with the 2026 edition now upon us, DeChambeau made sure to aim some trash talk at his rival in the build-up.

Ahead of the prestigious major, the US star suggested he wants to ‘beat the living you know what’ out of McIlroy this weekend.