Rory McIlroy's sports psychologist: "That had nothing to do with Bryson"

Rory McIlroy's sports psychologist says it was always part of the game plan to ignore Bryson DeChambeau during the final round of the 2025 Masters. 

DeChambeau accused McIlroy of refusing to talk to him last Sunday in the immediate aftermath of a disappointing final round of 75. 

He began round four trailing McIlroy by two strokes and briefly led but struggled for accuracy with his irons and made sloppy mistakes. 

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington was among those to criticise DeChambeau's strategy, describing it as 'bizarre'. 

McIlroy eventually achieved his lifetime ambition with his first victory at Augusta National after defeating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff. 

DeChambeau was asked how McIlroy was feeling after he signed his scorecard and the American replied: "No idea. Didn't talk to me once all day."

A reporter pressed the golfer further by asking if he had tried to initiate conversation and DeChambeau said: "He wouldn't talk to me."

Rotella told Radio 4's Today programme the decision 'didn't have anything to do with Bryson'. 

He added: "That was just the game plan all week and we wanted to get lost in it.

"We didn't want to pay attention to what anyone else was scoring, or shooting, or swinging or how far they were hitting it – we just wanted Rory to play his game.

"The point is, if you believe you're going to win, just play your game and assume that if you do that anywhere near the way you're capable of, then you will end up number one."

Rotella said if you paid close attention to McIlroy last Sunday it was clear that he was 'locked into his own world'. 

"It's just you and the golf course and your caddie," said Rotella.

"You get lost in this world that you've made up, and play the game you love. 

"I think he did a beautiful job of that all day. He did so many things to bounce back time after time."

McIlroy has now completed the full set of major championships. 

He will almost certainly believe he can win at least two more in 2025. 

The US PGA Championship heads to Quail Hollow (where he has won four times) in seven weeks. 

And McIlroy will be playing a home Open at Royal Portrush as a Masters champion. 

How many majors will he win before he retires?

The predictions are already flooding in. His putting coach, Brad Faxon, believes McIlroy will win at least 10. 

What does Rotella think now McIlroy is unburdened?

"My guess is that he will go on and win quite a few more, I think he's thinking of having a multiple win season," he said.

"I wanted to cry for him"

Despite revealing McIlroy did not speak to him on Masters Sunday, DeChambeau did express empathy when it looked as though the 35-year-old was throwing away a golden chance to end his major drought. 

McIlroy held a comfortable lead at the turn and was fortunate to escape the 11th with just a bogey after his golf ball came perilously close to finding the water. 

He departed the 13th with a double-bogey after dunking a wedge into the creek from just 86 yards. 

DeChambeau said he 'wanted to cry for McIlroy' in that moment. 

"I mean, as a professional, you just know to hit it in the middle of the green, and I can't believe he went for it, or must have just flared it.

"But I've hit bad shots in my career, too, and it happens," he said. 

"When you're trying to win a major championship, especially out here, Sunday of Augusta, The Masters, you have to just do it and get the job done and do it right. 

"There were times where it looked like he had full control and at times where it's like, what's going on. 

"Kind of looked like one of my rounds, actually."