Bryson DeChambeau says newly-crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy did not talk to him once during the final round on Sunday.
McIlroy finally completed the career grand slam, ending an 11-year major drought, after a dramatic and historic day at Augusta.
DeChambeau started the day as the Northern Irishman’s closest challenger, two shots back, and many expected a straight shootout in the final pairing.
McIlroy infamously had his heart broken by DeChambeau in June 2024 at the US Open, losing to the American by one shot after missing two short putts in the final three holes.
However, it was Justin Rose who lost to McIlroy in a sudden-death play-off at Augusta, after DeChambeau failed to mount a challenge and stuttered to a T5 finish.
With McIlroy headed to the play-off after spurning a glorious chance to win in regulation, DeChambeau was asked if he had the chance to speak with his rival in the scoring tent.
He responded: “No idea. Didn’t talk to me once all day.”
When pressed on whether he tried to initiate conversation with McIlroy, a blunt DeChambeau responded: “He wouldn’t talk to me.”
Nevertheless, DeChambeau admitted he was sympathising with McIlroy throughout a rollercoaster final round, which saw the eventual winner forced to recover from two double-bogeys.
“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.”
DeChambeau also got the silent treatment from McIlroy at Pinehurst back in June, as the five-time major winner left the US Open without speaking to anyone.
However, speaking after that stunning victory, DeChambeau was complimentary of his rival and tipped him to rise again.
“He’ll win multiple more major championships. There’s no doubt,” DeChambeau said 10 months ago.
“I think that fire in him is going to continue to grow. I have nothing but respect for how he plays the game of golf… he’s a strong-minded individual.
“Rory is one of the best to ever play. Being able to fight against a great like that is pretty special… I’d love to have a lot more battles with him. It would be a lot of fun. But Rory’s going to do it at some point.”
The rivalry between McIlroy and DeChambeau appeared to intensify during ‘The Showdown’ between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf in December 2024.
As the two golfers were practising on the range, McIlroy admitted he wanted to go head-to-head with DeChambeau and get revenge for ‘what he did to me at the US Open’.
And DeChambeau quickly responded: “To be fair, you kind of did that to yourself.”
Besides their battles at recent majors, McIlroy and DeChambeau also find themselves on opposite ends of golf’s civil war.
McIlroy has previously been one of LIV Golf’s fiercest critics, while DeChambeau is arguably its biggest superstar.
The LIV Golfer was among a number of players to file a lawsuit against the PGA Tour when animosity between the two parties was at its most intense.
The two-time major winner is also a symbol for an emerging community of YouTube golfers – something McIlroy recently admitted he has no interest in.
