‘I’m not going to be Dechambeau’s best mate’

US PGA Championship

Date: 15-18 May Venue: Quail Hollow, North Carolina

Rory McIlroy says he was not going to be Bryson DeChambeau’s “best mate” at the Masters after refusing to speak to him during the final round.

McIlroy played alongside DeChambeau for the closing round at Augusta, pitting the rivals against each other again after the American’s dramatic US Open win in 2024.

After carding a disappointing final-round 75 to finish tied fifth as McIlroy claimed the Green Jacket to complete a career Grand Slam, DeChambeau said the Northern Irishman “didn’t talk to me once all day”.

“I don’t know what he was expecting,” said McIlroy, who tees off at the US PGA Championship today (13:22 BST).

“Like, we’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to be his best mate out there.

“Everyone approaches the game in different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do and that’s really all that it was.

“It wasn’t anything against him, that’s just what I felt I needed to do to try and get the best out of myself on that day.”

McIlroy returns to major action in the US PGA at Quail Hollow, where he has won four PGA Tour events.

He said he wants to “create a few more highlights” but admits he may never beat the feeling he had when he won the Masters.

The 36-year-old hopes to become the first player to win back-to-back majors since Jordan Spieth claimed the Masters and US Open in 2015.

While McIlroy described the outpouring of congratulatory messages following his Masters win as “absolutely amazing”, he suggested he is far from finished.

“Everyone needs to have goals and dreams and I’ve been able to do something that I dreamed of for a long time,” said the world number two.

“I’m still going to set myself goals, I’m still going to try to achieve certain things but I sit here knowing that very well could be the highlight of my career.

When asked if he still has a ‘North Star’ achievement following his emotional Masters win, McIlroy added: “Not necessarily. I think everyone saw how hard having a North Star is and being able to get over the line.

“If I can try to get the best out of myself every week, I know what my abilities are, I know the golf that I can play and if I keep doing that every week, especially in these four big ones each year, I know I’ll have my chances.”

Having won all four majors, McIlroy’s next significant achievement could be to match Sir Nick Faldo’s European record of six major titles.

“I’ve always said I’m not going to put a number on it,” added McIlroy, who will play alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele during the first two rounds of the US PGA.

“I’ve talked about becoming the best European ever or the best international player, whatever that is, but the numbers tell one thing and it might not be the full story.

“I feel like I burdened myself with the career Grand Slam stuff and I want to enjoy this. I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved and enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career.