Rory McIlroy blanking Bryson DeChambeau was “the game plan” says coach

Rory McIlroy’s sports psychologist Bob Rotella has broken his silence on perceived tension between the new Masters champion and Bryson DeChambeau.

On Sunday, DeChambeau accused McIlroy of blanking him during the final round.

“Didn’t talk to me once all day,” the LIV man said after signing for a three-over 75, which resigned him to a T5 finish. “He wouldn’t talk to me.”

But Rotella, who has worked consistently with the Northern Irishman for the last few years, has revealed it was “all part of the plan”.

Speaking to Radio 4’s Today, Rotella said: “That didn’t have anything to do with Bryson. That was just the game plan all week and we wanted to get lost in it.

“We didn’t want to pay attention to what anyone else was scoring, or shooting, or swinging or how far they were hitting it – we just wanted Rory to play his game.

“The point is, if you believe you’re going to win, just play your game and assume that if you do that anywhere near the way you’re capable of, then you will end up number one.”

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The finale between the pair – who faced off at last year’s US Open – took twists and turns throughout the stroll around Augusta National.

McIlroy, bidding to complete the career grand slam, held a two-shot lead after a Saturday 66 but trailed DeChambeau by one after only two holes on Sunday.

He then let a five-shot lead slip on the back nine before eventually prevailing in a play-off against Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose.

But, as Rotella explains, mistakes were sure to leak in. How McIlroy handled them, however, proved decisive.

“We begin with the idea that golf, by design, is a game of mistakes, and if you love golf, you have to love the mistakes,” he said.

“You have to remind them that other players are playing the same game, and they will also all make mistakes.

“The second part is understanding that you are a human being, you’re going to make mistakes.

“Human beings have a free will, and that means we get to choose how we think and respond to all the crazy things that happen to us on the golf course and in life.”

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Meanwhile, Rotella is convinced the triumph will “free up” McIlroy to land even more major glory.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to see how many more he can win,” Rotella continued. “His year is off to great start, now he’s got a chance to have the greatest year he’s ever had.

“He’s getting tough mentally and emotionally, and that’s such a big part of it – you’ve got to have will that’s like steel.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.