Rory McIlroy shares tension with Bryson DeChambeau at the 2025 Masters

Rory McIlroy’s Dramatic Journey to His First Green Jacket

Rory McIlroy’s road to winning his first green jacket was quite dramatic.

He secured golf’s Grand Slam with a thrilling playoff victory against Justin Rose at the 2025 Masters. However, the final round included a heated moment with rival Bryson DeChambeau, where they debated who should take the first putt on the par-4 ninth hole at Augusta National.

McIlroy recalled, “I thought it was definitely my putt. I thought his ball was a little bit closer than mine,” reflecting on the incident in a preview of the upcoming Amazon documentary “Rory McIlroy: The Master’s Weight.”

They exchanged looks, each convinced they were entitled to go first. McIlroy said, “We looked at each other and thought, ‘Well, I think I’m the one to go.’ And he was like, ‘I think it’s me to go.’”

Coming off a rough double-bogey start on the first hole, McIlroy was eager to make the first putt, thinking it would place pressure on DeChambeau.

As they approached the ninth hole, where DeChambeau had one birdie and two bogeys, he suggested an unusual way to decide who would take the first putt—a tee-off. McIlroy was not impressed, stating, “No, this is the final round of the Masters. This isn’t like a game somewhere on a Tuesday afternoon.” He was determined to stand his ground.

Instead, McIlroy humorously suggested bringing in an umpire to time them. Proud of his resolve, he recalled, “I was proud of myself for standing my ground.”

Ultimately, DeChambeau missed his birdie attempt and ended up with a par. The back nine turned out to be a challenging experience for both, with DeChambeau finishing the final round with a 3-over 75.

Post-round, DeChambeau commented that McIlroy had barely engaged with him throughout the day, saying, “He didn’t talk to me once all day.”

McIlroy, who shot a 1-over 73 before winning in the playoff, later defended his focused demeanor: “I don’t know what he expected. Like, we were trying to win the Masters, and I’m not going to try to be his best mate there.”