Bryson DeChambeau was waiting for Rory McIlroy at the first tee ahead of his final round at Augusta National.
For McIlroy, it felt like Bryson was a final hurdle. It went beyond the task of winning The Masters. Even though 2025 had been one of his strongest years, he still hadn’t picked up another major title since the 2014 Open Championship. But this was about more than a Green Jacket – he needed closure from what happened at Pinehurst No.2.
DeChambeau and LIV Golf were standing in direct opposition to everything McIlroy had fought for during those three turbulent years that reshaped professional golf.
The build-up to their Las Vegas meeting added another layer to their story. While taking fan questions on the range, McIlroy said he wanted payback for Pinehurst. Bryson’s reply was blunt: “To be fair, you kinda did it to yourself.”
So naturally, they ended up paired together on Sunday at Augusta with the Green Jacket in sight. The stage was set for revenge, but looking back now, even after the Grand Slam win in 2025, McIlroy realises there’s more to DeChambeau than he thought at the time.
Rory McIlroy reflects on Bryson DeChambeau and his true battle at the Masters
There was plenty of build-up around the pairing, but it didn’t turn into much of a contest. DeChambeau had an off day and was out of the running early, while McIlroy built up a four-shot lead with six holes remaining. His real opponent turned out to be nerves rather than his playing partner.
There were tense moments as his lead slipped, raising fears of another late collapse. But he managed to hold on and beat Justin Rose in a playoff, finally claiming the Masters title that had eluded him for so long.
Even though he got over the line, it wasn’t smooth sailing down the stretch. A double bogey on 13 followed by dropped shots on 14 and 18 put him under pressure, and looking back, McIlroy said he wishes he could replay those final holes to finish more strongly.
“I never want to feel like that on a golf course again. Your legs are weak, you feel like you want to throw up,” McIlroy said before the Australian Open later that year.
“Honestly, I thought going into that day that the biggest challenge for me was going to be playing with Bryson. That ended up not being what it was. I felt like I overcame that part of it and what happened at Pinehurst the year before.
“But I said afterwards the battle that day was with myself. I wish I stood on that 13th tee with a four or five shot lead and I’d love to be in that position again to see if I could finish it off the right way.”
Why expectations for Rory McIlroy after his Masters win didn’t match reality
McIlroy’s 2025 victory wasn’t just about finally securing the missing piece of his career Grand Slam. It was expected to open a new chapter in his career, especially at a course where he’d historically struggled. But things didn’t unfold that way.
The common belief was that McIlroy would play with a new sense of freedom and contend more regularly in majors after shedding the burden of chasing the Green Jacket. Dame Laura Davies even predicted he could add five or six more majors now that he’d completed his career Grand Slam.
But McIlroy didn’t seem to find the motivation many expected. He was distant with the media, and his form dipped noticeably, including a missed cut at the Canadian Open and a T47 finish at the US Open.
So while there’s no longer any weight on his shoulders when he returns to Augusta, history suggests not to expect him to suddenly start playing with complete freedom or returning to top form there anytime soon.
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