Bryson DeChambeau makes honest admission about Rory McIlroy – ‘Wanted to cry’

Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy were paired together in the final round of the Masters on Sunday, with the former watching from the wings as the latter clinched his career Grand Slam

Bryson DeChambeau said he “wanted to cry” for Rory McIlroy after watching him sink the ball into Rae’s Creek on the 13th hole of Augusta on Sunday.

Despite various errs during the final round of play at the Masters, McIlroy finally clinched his Green Jacket and joined an elite group of just six men who have completed a career Grand Slam. DeChambeau, who played alongside McIlroy in the final round, said that the Northern Irishman did not utter a single word to him throughout the day, even though they were paired together.

It came just 10 months after DeChambeau narrowly defeated McIlroy for his second U.S. Open title. After finishing tied for fifth with a closing 73, DeChambeau was asked about McIlroy’s state of mind.

He responded: “No idea. Didn’t talk to me once all day.” When probed further about whether he attempted to engage McIlroy in conversation, DeChambeau simply added: “He wouldn’t talk to me.”

Despite the silence between them, DeChambeau couldn’t help but feel for McIlroy during the tense moment on the 13th hole. He said: “I wanted to cry for him.

“I mean, as a professional, you just know to hit it in the middle of the green, and I can’t believe he went for it. Or [he] must have just flared it.

“But I’ve hit bad shots in my career, too, and it happens. When you’re trying to win a major championship, especially out here, Sunday of Augusta, the Masters, you have to just do it and get the job done and do it right.

“There were times where it looked like he had full control and at times where it’s like, what’s going on? Kind of looked like one of my rounds, actually.”

DeChambeau was just two strokes behind McIlroy in second headed into Sunday’s final at Augusta. However, a lacklustre round saw him crumble to a T5 finish alongside Im Sung-jae.

After an incredible third round of his own, McIlroy headed into the final round with the utmost confidence, with aims of adding the Masters to his collection of US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship titles.

However, after succumbing to pressure on the back stretch of the course, McIlroy was sent into a nail-biting play-off with Justin Rose – each on a score of 11-under-par.

McIlroy made history during one last dance of the 18th in the sudden death play-off, sinking a birdie to Rose’s par to finally clinch his career Grand Slam.