US Open 2025: How Rory McIlroy and Bryson Dechambeau formed the latest rivalry in golf | Golf News
A deal of heartbreak, silent treatment, driver duel and victory. Golf’s latest Titanic rivals are threatening round three this week. Rory McIlroy and Bryson Deccanbeau head to the US Open, which was removed from the Pinehurst Theatre for a year.
Disappointed McIlroy was able to watch helplessly from the scoring huts after DeChambeau’s dramatic Sunday death, saving an astonishing par save to take us off the Northern Irish to take us into an open victory last June.
McIlroy is a hands-on hip, turning his back in desperation as he prolonged his most recent downfall climax on television, a blown lead and his painful wait that tormented his first major in a decade.
Just as the less familiar pain plagued McIlroy, Deccanbeau absorbed the raucous heroes reception from the North Carolina crowd in his reinvention as all-encompassing fan favorites.
It becomes a very contrasting image. Two Powerhouse Strikers on the Ball – one is like a silent killer, one is an ambitious provider in golf movie animation. One of the old-fashioned flag bearers for traditions at the heart of the social media generation.
If that represents Round 1, Round 2 arrived this year in a fascinating week at Augusta. Along with that, the spicy needles matched by a subplot of PGA vs. liv tensions matched as they stimulated the fascinating modern duel brought to Oakmont this week.
Rory McIlroy’s record at US Open
What happened last year?
DeChambeau took a three-shot lead on the final day at the US Open last year, but McIlroy ran through four birdies on five holes, turning him into a star shape to win his first major since the 2014 PGA Championship.
Leading two on five holes, McIlroy wasted Panders within four feet on the 16th and 18th, bogeying three of the last four to surrender the title, further scrutinizing the misery of the major championship.
However, his collapse was not without the glow of decanbeau as the Americans landed within four feet of the 18th pin, summoning a 54-yard bunker shot from the golf gods, paving the way for a one-shot victory.
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Rory McIlroy was heartbroken as Bryson Deccanbeau rounded out his victory at last year’s US Open
DeChambeau’s second major victory following his success at the 2020 US Open, but for McIlroy, he was fourth-placed second, top-5 finishes and 21st-placed top-10 finishes since his 2014 victory at Valhalla.
“Rolly is one of the best plays ever,” Deccanbeau said after the round. “It’s pretty special to be able to fight such a great guy. He misses that putt [on 18]I don’t want that from anyone. Luckily things went my way. ”
Often, McIlroy was an unparalleled protagonist, as the universally promoted face of the sport that challenged everyone in his pursuit of the immortality of golf. But this was a Deccanbeau moment, a photo of a modified character, and his involvement with fans who guaranteed a new wave of support for his own modern ambassador.
The two met again just a few months after competing in the Crypto.com Showdown, as McIlroy worked with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and DeChambeau and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka.
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The story of Bryson Deccanbo’s final round at 2024 US Open ended with a dramatic one-shot victory
McIlroy welcomed another matchup with DeChambeau and suggested “I want to get him back for what he did to me at the US Open.”
Deccanbeau responded quickly: “To be fair, you did it to yourself.”
Cue’s awkward frown, Cue Koepka’s laughter, Cue’s acceptance of good sports from McIlroy. But it’s probably the familiar beginning before and after.
Augusta Silent Treatment
Coming in April 2025, the two were faced off again in person after teasing another final day thriller at Masters.
McIlroy put on top of the leaderboard twice on Sunday wearing a 6-under 66 after starting his third round two-stroke behind halfway leader Justin Rose. In the meantime, Dedanbeau birdied three of his final four, covered in a final 48-foot putt, sitting behind McIlroy in the second, making four clears from third-placed Corey Connors.
It was searching the world as another McIlroy vs Dechambeau slugfest was on the horizon. The Americans have set a visible fire for the possibility of chasing his counterparts, who were under the indomitable pressure to finally complete a career grand slam.
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Check out the best shots from tournament history ahead of this week’s US Open!
McIlroy planned on viewing Bridgerton as a source of escapism on Saturday night, but Dechambeau instead favored James Bond’s film. McIlroy insisted that he was “not embarrassed” from the duel. Deccanbeau insisted that he “doesn’t retreat.” In some respects, it fully reflected a variety of attitudes and ways of thinking.
As it happened, Deccanbeau came back when he saw four bogeys and doubles drop out of pace on his way to the 75th round and fifth finish.
Meanwhile, McIlroy endured the final round of the roller coaster. It recovered with four birdies on eight holes to abandon his four shot advantage in the final hole 6 after he blew his overnight lead with a double bogey in the opening hole, then dropped a 73 over to drop one 73 along the Rose at 11 under.
He made up for his mistakes and set up a birdie putt that encourages the release of long-standing frustration of emotional scenes at Augusta with a phenomenal show of mental strength to edge out Rose in the playoffs on the 18th, raising his approach within three feet of the pin.
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Bryson Deccanbeau revealed that Rory McIlroy hadn’t spoken to him at all through the final round of his victory at the Masters.
Congratulations to McIlroy on social media, DeChambeau spurred the duo’s budding rivalry as McIlroy pointed out that they paired together in the final round and “didn’t talk to me all day.”
“He was just like that – I think he was just focused, but that wasn’t me,” he added.
McIlroy instead hinted at a fight against himself as he was trying to overcome the mental hurdles that he had previously denied the success of the Master.
“It’s a fight in your head, staying in the present moment, getting this next shot and trying to hit the next shot,” McIlroy explained at his press conference. “My fight was with myself.
“It wasn’t like the others. You know, there it was with Justin. [Rose]But my battle today remained in my heart and present. I want to say I did a better job than I did. It was a struggle, but I got it on the line. ”
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Rory McIlroy’s best shot from his historic 2025 Masters victory at Augusta National Golf Club.
McIlroy’s silent treatment remained a hot topic heading into the PGA Championship at Quazul Hollow. There, the owner of Golf’s latest green jackets questioned Deccanbeau’s comments.
“I don’t know what he was expecting,” McIlroy said. “Like, we’re about to win a Master. I’m not going to be his best companion.
“Everyone approaches the game in a variety of ways. I was focusing on what I and I needed to do. That was really all that.
“It wasn’t against him. It was something I felt I needed to do to try and make the most of myself that day.”
How do they match?
In contrast to their Masters Battle, the two rocked another clash at the PGA Championship. McCluroy stuttered a disappointing week to finish 47th, with Decanbeau getting shorter again with the second five shot behind champion Schaeffler.
McIlroy has recorded top 10 finishes at the Houston Open and True Players Championship, as well as victory in 2025 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Player Championship and Masters. He has been in the top 10 for the sixth consecutive year at the US Open, including a back-to-back second-place finish.
Two-time US Open champion across from him, Dechambeau made his appearance in the top 10 in five of the seven LIV events this year. This includes a teed second in Mexico City and a victory in Korea, following fifth in Miami.
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Rory McIlroy has been “worried” about the golf game after falling to the worst finish of his PGA Tour career at the Canadian Open and says he will need to find the missing pieces from the tee before the US opens next week.
Between them, they are two of the golfer’s most devastating strikers from the tee, with McIlroy ranked third on the PGA Tour with an average driving distance of 319.3 yards, with DeChambeau leading the LIV with an average of 333.3 yards.
The two of Oakmonts have solidified as two of the most prominent, pregnant and recognisable names in modern golf. Macroloy is the sixth major champion to complete a career grand slam and five-time major champion as the PGA Tour’s most vocal advocate among the broken golf landscape. Deccanbeau is a two-time major champion as the man of the greatest opportunity, and one of the most followed celebrities in golf brings the sport to other viewers.
Schaeffler is Schaeffler, a slightly higher, lower than ever, laplaplaplapable no 1, with fewer and lesser than ever in recent talent and performance. And while McIlroy himself always bets his claim as the perfect player to step into the golf course on Thursday, it’s a twist of lightning drives and plot, a more assertive verb for drama and chalk and cheese personality, and a chalk and cheese personality.
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