Bryson DeChambeau delivered a hilarious put-down to Rory McIlroy over his US Open collapse earlier this year, saying “you kind of did it to yourself.”
McIlroy’s decade-long major drought looked like it may finally be coming to an end back in June at Pinehurst, when he led the US Open with just four holes to go.
However, the Northern Irishman collapsed with three bogeys in those final four holes, including failing to make a three-foot putt having not missed one from that close all season. It allowed DeChambeau to sneak in and take the title by a single stroke, which was sealed with an out-of-this-world bunker shot on the 18th to scramble a par save and avoid a play-off with McIlroy.
This week, the pair are taking part in The Showdown – an exhibition event in Las Vegas where McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler take on DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in a PGA Tour vs LIV Golf match.
The trash talk has already been flowing and when the players were practising their chipping while mic’d up in front of a crowd on the range on Monday, DeChambeau delivered a zinger.
McIlroy was saying how he’d “like to go up against Bryson to try and get him back for what he did to me at the US Open” and, quick as a flash, the American quipped: “To be fair, you kind of did it to yourself.”
This prompted laughter and winces from the crowd with one man being heard to say ‘wow’. DeChambeau looked mildly apologetic, while Koepka could also be seen laughing at the retort.
McIlroy took the put-down in good humour and responded “I don’t really know where to go from there.”
The Showdown comes as the best golfers in the world try to modernise the sport amid ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi’s PIF, which bankrolls LIV Golf.
The 18-hole event is an evolution of ‘The Match’, which was launched by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in 2018 and takes place at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas this evening.
When it was announced earlier this year, McIlroy explained the premise of the event, saying: “I’m thrilled to partner with Scottie in what promises to be an exciting duel against Bryson and Brooks in Vegas.
“This isn’t just a contest between some of golf’s major champions; it’s an event designed to energise the fans. We’re all here to put on a great show and contribute to a goodwill event that brings the best together again.
“We all want to see more of the best golfers in the world going head-to-head, battling it out on the back nine of a tournament. At a time where the professional game has felt divided, we believe this event can bring fans an incredible day of entertainment.”
