Bryson, Rory eye Bethpage matchup amid rivalry

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- If determination is simply a brewing rivalry betwixt Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy, past the Ryder Cup could beryllium a cleanable mounting for different melodramatic duel.

While some prima golfers downplayed immoderate animosity betwixt them, DeChambeau and McIlroy besides acknowledged that being matched up against each different this week astatine Bethpage Black would beryllium welcomed.

"Would I emotion to spell up against him? Yeah. It would beryllium a batch of fun," DeChambeau said Thursday. "Is it going to happen? It's not likely. I mean, possibly once. You ne'er know."

"If I travel up against Bryson astatine immoderate point, I deliberation that's great," McIlroy said. "I deliberation that's fantastic for the title and fantastic for us, arsenic well, successful immoderate ways."

DeChambeau, erstwhile asked earlier this twelvemonth astir perchance facing McIlroy successful the Ryder Cup aft the 2 were paired successful the last circular of the Masters, said that helium intended to "chirp successful [McIlroy's] ear" astatine Bethpage.

McIlroy responded to those comments past period during an interrogation with the Guardian.

"I deliberation the lone mode helium gets attraction is by mentioning different people," McIlroy told the Guardian. "That is fundamentally what I deliberation of that. To get attraction helium volition notation maine oregon Scottie [Scheffler] oregon others."

When asked astir DeChambeau connected Thursday, McIlroy joked that helium had promised European skipper Luke Donald that helium would lone speech astir the European team.

"It's truthful casual to play into narratives this week and to get swept up successful this full rivalries and Ryder Cup and immoderate it is," McIlroy said. "All I privation to bash is spell and effort and enactment bluish points connected the board. I don't attraction who it's against."

As DeChambeau pointed out, whether it's successful foursomes, four-balls oregon Sunday singles, there's nary warrant that the 2 volition look disconnected fixed the information that captains prime their teams and bid up of knowing the opponent's choices.

"I don't cognize if there's readying down the scenes oregon whatnot," DeChambeau said with a smile.

Even if they don't look disconnected against 1 another, the information that DeChambeau and McIlroy are connected other sides this week is emblematic of the benignant of narration they person had during the sport's biggest events arsenic of late.

Aside from Scheffler, nary 2 players person performed amended successful large championships implicit the past 2 years than DeChambeau and McIlroy. In the process, their paths haven't conscionable crossed; they person met each different head-on.

The 2 finished archetypal and 2nd successful the 2024 U.S. Open astatine Pinehurst, wherever McIlroy's missed abbreviated putts connected 2 of the past 3 holes and DeChambeau's occurrence bunker changeable connected 18 gave the LIV Golf prima his 2nd large victory.

This twelvemonth astatine the Masters, some played successful Sunday's last group. And arsenic McIlroy emerged with the greenish overgarment and the vocation Grand Slam, DeChambeau was speedy to constituent retired that McIlroy did not speech to him the full round. McIlroy responded that helium didn't cognize what DeChambeau expected.

On Monday DeChambeau was asked by Golf Channel if helium had a effect to McIlroy's caller comments to the Guardian.

"Whatever Rory says and whatnot is great. He didn't mean thing by it," DeChambeau said. "I'm excited. I anticipation we tin person immoderate bully banter backmost and distant and if not, and helium wants to bash what he's doing, great, nary problem. Crowd's going to beryllium connected our side."

McIlroy, who is playing successful his eighth Ryder Cup, has dealt with an distant assemblage respective times and said helium is prepared to negociate an situation helium doesn't typically person to woody with.

"I'm precise lucky, I get a batch of enactment beauteous overmuch everyplace I spell erstwhile I play golf, and it's going to consciousness a small antithetic for maine this week," McIlroy said. "But that's to beryllium expected. ... I consciousness astatine times successful the Ryder Cup, I person engaged excessively overmuch with that, excessively overmuch with the crowd.

"But past there's times wherever I haven't engaged enough. So it's truly conscionable trying to find the equilibrium of utilizing that vigor from the assemblage to substance your performance."

With contention starting Friday, the crowds connected manus astatine Bethpage truthful acold this week person been rallying astir the U.S. squad and specifically DeChambeau, who has fixed them plentifulness to cheer about.

"I deliberation rivalries are bully for the crippled of golf," DeChambeau said. "And albeit I person the eventual respect for Rory arsenic a player. It's going to beryllium amusive to ...