Could we be witnessing the emergence of the era’s greatest rivalry?
In the build-up to the Ryder Cup it certainly looks that way given recent exchanges between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy.
The seeds appeared to have been sown back at the 2024 US Open, when DeChambeau pipped McIlroy to the title, leaving the PGA Tour star to make a swift exit from Pinehurst No.2.
An uneasy truce was then struck when the pair played against each other at The Showdown last December, but the tension was well and truly back for the final round of The Masters.
The two played together on that occasion, this time with McIlroy taking the title, but DeChambeau noted afterwards that the Northern Irishman had not said a word to him all day.
There has been friction between the pair ahead of the Bethpage Black match, too.
As pointed out by the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, that was first apparent in July, when, alluding to the apparent silent treatment from McIlroy at Augusta National, DeChambeau said: “I’ll be chirping in [McIlroy’s] ear this time. Now, if we go up against each other, I mean you can be sure of it.”
At the Tour Championship, McIlroy hit back, saying: “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 or others."
At Bethpage Black, Lewis asked DeChambeau about those comments, and he responded: “All I’m trying to do is inspire kids on YouTube. We’ve got quite a big audience on YouTube and I’m continuing to focus on that train of thought.
“Whatever Rory says or whatnot, great. I didn’t mean anything by it other than I’m excited. I hope we can have some good banter back and forth, and if not, if he wants to do what he is doing, great, no problem.”
He added: “Ultimately, my job is to get a kid out there who’s looking at me hitting a golf ball and smiling.”
One person who is not buying DeChambeau’s take is Lewis’ Golf Channel colleague Brandel Chamblee.
Asked about the rivalry, Chamblee questioned DeChambeau’s priorities - as well as his YouTube numbers, saying: “When he does come out, there’s a bit of the circus barker element to it. He’s trying to drum up some interest for himself.
“I thought it was pretty poignant there when he asked about the retort of Rory, he didn’t mention the goal this week of a Ryder Cup. No, he didn’t do that. He didn’t talk about playing on a team and how much that meant. No, he didn’t do that.
“What he did do was talk about his YouTube channel, which, you know, if we want to talk about the numbers that are generated from that, it’s pretty dubious. I’ve no doubt that bots are generating a lot of those views. There may be some interest as well, but that’s what he wants to talk about, not the team, not the Ryder Cup.”
Chamblee then conceded DeChambeau is a talent, but suggested he’s not best suited to a team environment.
He added: “It’s one of the reasons why I think he’s going to be such a difficult person to get paired with.
“No doubt he is one hell of a golfer. No doubt he has his moments of generosity with fans, I’ve heard about them, but he’s an odd duck when he’s trying to blend in with the team, and he has so many potential bulletin board mistakes, and I think it would be a captain’s nightmare.”
While McIlroy and DeChambeau are surely the two most popular players in the Ryder Cup, despite tensions simmering between them, it's clear that as far as DeChambeau is concerned, Chamblee is refusing to buy into the hype.
