The rivalry is real between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy as more details continue to emerge about the final round of the 2025 Masters. As the star golfers return to Augusta National, it is becoming more clear that things turned tense between McIlroy and DeChambeau this time last year.
When discussing DeChambeau’s Masters chances, CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis revealed the star’s reaction to Mcllroy losing the lead to create a playoff with Justin Rose during the 2025 tournament. Balionis described DeChambeau as “hot under the collar” after underperforming in the final round.
“And I don’t think you can discount Bryson,” Balionis explained in the March 31, 2026, episode of the “Fairway Rollin'” podcast. “I just think Bryson has such a chip on his shoulder.
“And I think about this moment a lot from last year when he came into the interview room, after he felt like he had pretty much given it away and he had that disaster on 11 and he comes in, he ends up finishing T5, which was still his best finish in his Masters career,” Balionis continued.
“He came in and he’s watching this playoff start to happen and he is so hot under the collar and he looks at me off-camera and he says, ‘I just handed this to Rory and I can’t believe he might give it away.’ And that line, I have thought about a lot coming into this week, because I think a lot of people maybe forget one, how close Bryson was to being right there on that final stretch on Sunday last year.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Masters news.
Bryson DeChambeau Is Motivated After Seeing Rory McIlroy Win the Masters
DeChambeau is a 2-time major winner but is still searching for his first green jacket. Seeing McIlroy finally break through at Augusta National might help DeChambeau do the same, explains Balionis.
“Two, the rivalry they have, I think is being talked about in a healthy way at this point,” Balionis added. “But three, he’s such an emotional guy and I think he uses it to his benefit that that added chip on his shoulder, he certainly hasn’t forgotten that feeling.
“And I think that little extra added incentive or focus that you can’t recreate anywhere else, I actually think that might be really, really important for him this week.”
Rory McIlroy on Not Talking to Bryson DeChambeau During the Masters: ‘I Don’t Know What He Was Expecting’
In the new Amazon documentary “Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait,” McIlroy provided some insight into his rivalry with DeChambeau. There was a tense moment during the final round of the Masters where the two golfers argued over who would putt first as their golf balls were similar distances away from the hole.
DeChambeau has claimed that McIlroy did not talk to him during the final round. McIlroy has explained on multiple occasions that his focus was on winning the Masters.
“I don’t know what he was expecting,” McIlroy responded in 2025, per People.com. “We’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try to be his best mate out there.”
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