CHARLOTTE (AFP) — Rory McIlroy said his silent treatment of playing partner Bryson DeChambeau in the final round of the Masters was about his focus on winning, not an insult to his rival.
But there will be plenty of eyes watching his manners and focus on Thursday in his next major round when he tees off in a group with the world’s three top-ranked players in the opening round of the 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Second-ranked McIlroy, coming off a Masters victory last month to complete a career Grand Slam, joins top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and third-ranked defending champion Xander Schauffele off the 10th tee at 8:22 a.m. in Thursday’s feature group.
McIlroy, a four-time PGA Tour winner at Quail Hollow including his first tour title in 2010, addressed the final-round Masters silent treatment he gave DeChambeau — who edged him on the 72nd hole for last year’s US Open title when they were not paired together.
“I don’t know what he was expecting. We’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try to be his best mate out there,” McIlroy said.
“Look, everyone approaches the game in different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. That’s really all that it was. It wasn’t anything against him. It’s just I felt that’s what I needed to do to try to get the best out of myself that day.”
DeChambeau complained that McIlroy snubbed him on that final day at Augusta, saying then, “he wouldn’t talk to me... didn’t talk to me once all day.”
McIlroy accomplished a life’s dream by capturing the green jacket in a playoff over England’s Justin Rose while DeChambeau fired a 75 and shared fifth.
A huge crowd is expected to follow McIlroy at Quail Hollow as it did on the final day at Augusta National.
McIlroy, who captured his fifth major title and snapped a major win drought dating to 2014, has also won the Players Championship and Pebble Beach titles this year.