Bryson DeChambeau remembers the pain he inflicted on the Northern Irishman at Pinehurst in 2024. So much so, he isn’t looking for a truce with Rory McIlroy; he’s looking for a fight, and he wants it every single time they tee it up.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s great if we can continue to have a rivalry. I don’t see any problem with that. If anything, it kind of helps create more buzz around the game of golf,” Bryson DeChambeau said at the media press conference ahead of the practice round at the 2026 Masters.

“Do I respect him as an individual? 100 percent. Do I want to beat him every time I see him? Absolutely. There’s no question about it. But I think that’s what’s so brilliant about the game of golf is that juxtaposition, having that sportsmanlike respect and then wanting to just absolutely beat the living you know what out of him.”

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At Pinehurst in 2024, Bryson DeChambeau outdid McIlroy to win his second major. With rounds of 67-69-67-71, he finished 6-under, just one stroke less than the 5x major champion. Then, in 2025, at Augusta National, it was McIlroy’s turn to beat DeChambeau and others. He defeated Justin Rose to claim a playoff victory and complete his career Grand Slam. The American professional finished T5 behind McIlroy, Rose, Patrick Reed, and Scottie Scheffler.

The two even had a feud over who would putt on the 9th hole in the final round of the 2025 Masters. Both thought that they would go first, leading to a standoff. Ultimately, DeChambeau had to count the distance with his steps and give in. The 2025 Masters champion revealed that it was like a shift in momentum as the incident got the 2x major champion frustrated.

After the 2025 Masters, the 2025 Ryder Cup further ignited the banter and rivalry. In the run‑up to the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, DeChambeau joked that he would “chirp” in McIlroy’s ear if they faced off. The Northern Irishman also didn’t stay quiet. He pushed back by suggesting Bryson DeChambeau only talks about him to get “attention.”

The LIV Golf South Africa 2026 winner says he wants more similar events because he believes that they would be great for the game of golf. This year, they won’t be facing each other straight up, as they are in different groups. However, both of them are crowd favorites to win and could potentially be competing for the win over the weekend.

Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy’s betting odds for the 2026 Masters

Both DeChambeau and McIlroy have betting odds of +1,200. This means that if they face off, the intensity and fan engagement will reach a new level.

McIlroy’s confidence is rooted in a dominant 2025 season where he finally completed his career Grand Slam at the Masters before winning the Race to Dubai for a seventh time. He’s carried that momentum into 2026, already logging a T2 finish at the Genesis Invitational.

However, he was recently struggling with back issues and had to withdraw from the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. As a result, his performance at the Players Championship was also affected. While he has not complained about his back issues since then, they could play a significant role in how he performs at the 2026 Masters.

Bryson DeChambeau, on the other hand, is coming off back-to-back wins on LIV Golf. He won the LIV Golf Singapore 2026 and the LIV Golf South Africa 2026. This indicates that he is in peak form, and his numbers in major events also favor him.

Others with favorable betting odds include Scottie Scheffler (+500), Jon Rahm (+850), Xander Schauffele (+1600), and Ludvig Åberg (+1600).

While both players enter Augusta as favorites, DeChambeau’s open desire for confrontation sets the stage for a psychological battle that could define the weekend, whether they’re in the same group or not.