As we get closer to the intense battle between Team U.S. and Team Europe, some things are inevitable. Fans will probably see Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy lock horns at some point. Scottie Scheffler will also have a score to settle with the Irishman for the humiliation in Rome. In fact, it won’t come as a surprise if the world #2 also faces Mr. Inevitable in foursomes. However, based on previous experience, McIlroy believes it is inevitable that hands might also be thrown in New York.

Days before teeing off at Bethpage, Ewan Murray of The Guardian had an exclusive interview with Rory. During their conversation, the Irishman was discussing whether the fans can expect to see some drama in New York. To that, McIlroy told Murray, “I think it’s inevitable something is going to happen in New York. It might not involve me, but it is inevitable that something will happen, whether like in Rome last time or something else.”

In 2023, on the 18th hole on Saturday, Patrick Cantlay‘s caddie, Joe LaCava, waved his hat in celebration of his boss’s birdie putt. His celebration went on for too long and was in the line of sight of Rory McIlroy’s putt. That got the Irishman heated up. They argued on the course and took their ugly altercation to the parking lot after the end of the round. It was one of the most controversial incidents in the 2023 Ryder Cup. The Irishman expects that something similar might happen in New York as well.

Speaking about the atmosphere in the tournament, McIlroy added, “I just think when you go into that environment and you are there for five or six days and the crowd are on you for eight hours, so many days in a row … it is inevitable it will get to someone or get to us as a group at some point. We are just going to have to do a really good job of managing that, having each other’s backs and protecting each other.”

It’s no secret that fans often drive the competition in the Ryder Cup. Playing on home soil will give Team U.S. a huge advantage. Even crowd favorites like Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood won’t be spared as they will face the heat from the spectators behind the ropes. In fact, Fleetwood already got a taste of it during a podcast as he had an awkward encounter with Pat McAfee.

Having said that, the war of words seems to have already begun. And as many fans would have expected, it’s between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy.

The biggest battle of Bethpage: Rory McIlroy vs. Bryson DeChambeau

It’s no secret that there is at least a little bad blood between Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. As far as the Grand Slam champion is concerned, he has never been a fan of the league DeChambeau represents. He has been quite critical of LIV Golf, and that may have extended to his dynamic with the Crushers GC captain. So when the two faced off at Augusta National in 2025, it’s understandable why Rory was not a big fan of catching up with Bryson.

On the other hand, DeChambeau might still be bitter about McIlroy not speaking with him in the final round of the Masters Tournament. After beating him at Pinehurst No. 2 last year, he wasn’t too happy about how he couldn’t claim the Green Jacket in 2025. With the Ryder Cup only a few days away, this will be the perfect opportunity for Bryson DeChambeau to get any revenge against Rory McIlroy.

More recently, the Irishman just called out the LIV Golf pro for his attention-seeking behavior. He said, “I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people. That is basically what I think of that. To get attention, he will mention me or Scottie [Scheffler] or others.” The drama has already begun long before tee off. If their fairway battle goes beyond who hits the ball better, then it will only be icing on the cake for the fans.