Bryson DeChambeau took aim at Rory McIlroy on Monday as he teased the Northern Irishman about his meltdown at the US Open. The two players are set to go head-to-head in The Showdown in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
McIlroy will partner with Scottie Scheffler to represent the PGA Tour in the one-day event, while DeChambeau will team up with Brooks Koepka for LIV Golf.
The Showdown is the first of its kind and will be played under floodlights as a Ryder Cup-style 18-hole event.
McIlroy appeared to be cruising to his fifth Major title at the US Open in June as he held a two-stroke lead going into the final four holes.
But the 35-year-old got himself into all sorts of bother in the closing stages of the tournament as he missed two simple putts from inside three feet over the last three holes.
He eventually finished one stroke behind DeChambeau, who clinched his second Major after winning the US Open for the first time in 2020.
McIlroy was distraught after blowing his lead and opted to skip media duties and take a short break from golf in the weeks that followed. But DeChambeau was unwilling to let the blockbuster star off the hook as they were preparing to renew their rivalry in Las Vegas.
As the players were practising, McIlroy told the crowd: “I’d like to go up against Bryson and try to get him back for what he did to me at the US Open.” And DeChambeau coldly replied: “To be fair you kind of did it to yourself.”
The American’s blunt comment drew laughter and applause from those watching on as McIlroy gasped: “I don’t really know where to go from there.”
McIlroy’s implosion at the US Open means he is still searching for his fifth Major title more than a decade after winning his fourth.
And following his disappointment at Pinehurst, he explained: “Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer.
“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that.
“As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I’ll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.
“As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I’ve shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.”