The Ryder Cup is now less than a week away, and we’ve already got some fireworks, thanks to Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.
McIlroy is leaning into the drama of it all, and in a recent interview with The Guardian, the five-time major winner and reigning Masters champion responded to a recent DeChambeau with a pointed chirp of his own.
“I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people,” McIlroy told The Guardian. “That is basically what I think of that. To get attention, he will mention me or Scottie (Scheffler) or others.”
Rory, Bryson Engage in War of Words Ahead of Ryder Cup
McIlroy’s verbal barb was in response to DeChambeau’s comments in July when he insisted he was going to be chirping his rival at the Ryder Cup in late September at Bethpage Black on Long Island.
“I’ll be chirping in his hear this time,” DeChambeau told People in late July. “Now, if we go up against each other, I mean, you can be sure of it. I’ll get into his ear a little bit.”
McIlroy might actually have a point, too. DeChambeau’s comments to People came not long after he had even more to say to The Mirror at The Open Championship in Northern Ireland earlier this summer.
“I would love (to keep the rivalry going),” he told The Mirror. “I would love nothing more than that. We’ll keep battling it out. Hopefully, we come to Sundays a lot more often, like we did at The Masters this year. The PGA was great, too. I gave it a run, but I’d love to have more battles with Rory and Scottie.”
Rory-Bryson Quickly Becoming Golf’s Top Rivalry
McIlroy and DeChambeau are foils for each other. McIlroy represents the PGA Tour, and is fiercely protective of his privacy. As he’s gotten older, he’s put a much greater emphasis on playing where he wants and when he wants. The majors are his top priority. DeChambeau, meanwhile, might be the most popular golfer on LIV, who seems just as motivated by growing his YouTube channel as he does winning golf tournaments. He’s the pop culture golfer.
Rory is an artist; Bryson is a scientist.
It helps that the two have had their battles on the course, too. A heavily pro-American crowd backed DeChambeau at the 2024 U.S. Open cheered the SMU product to victory over McIlroy at Pinehurst No. 2. A year later, the two once again were paired up in the final pairing at the Masters. DeChambeau withered, while McIlroy’s wild round was just enough to get into a playoff with Justin Rose that he won to secure the career grand slam.
One side storyline coming out of that insane Sunday was that McIlroy largely iced out DeChambeau as they tackled Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday.
When asked how the two interacted during the unforgettable final 18 holes, DeChambeau gave a telling response.
“No idea. (McIlroy) didn’t talk to me once all day,” he told reporters. “(The atmosphere was) electric. I loved it. But he was just like — just being focused, I guess. It’s not me, though.”
He added: “He wouldn’t talk to me.”
Now, the golf world crosses its collective fingers in hopes of a McIlroy vs. DeChambeau Sunday showdown at the Ryder Cup.