It is looking very likely that the last day of the Masters is going to be decided by two proven winners. Bryson DeChambeau made a massive recovery towards the end of the third round to move within two strokes of leader Rory McIlroy in first. McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau will be teeing off together at the Augusta National Golf Course at 2:30 PM ET with both looking to land their first-ever green jacket. As the crescendo hits the last day, one insider feels that DeChambeau has already started preparing for the fourth round on Saturday itself.

On the 16 hole, the Redbud, DeChambeau made a great tee shot that landed close to the pin before converting the putt to score a birdie at the 3-par hole. At that point, the two-time US Open winner was chasing Rory McIlroy, who was four shots ahead of him. DeChambeau’s extravagant celebration after the putt was meant to rile up the crowd, but also served an ulterior purpose. At least, according to Andy Johnson and Brendon Porath of the Fried Egg Golf Podcast. “He makes the putt, the crowd reacts. And then does what he did at the US Open.” Andy Johnson stated.

Their sweet rivalry caught fire at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. McIlroy seemed destined for glory, holding the lead late in the final round. But just as the trophy edged within his grasp, DeChambeau unleashed a jaw-dropping 60-yard bunker shot that sealed the win—and snatched the major from McIlroy’s hands in dramatic fashion.

DeChambeau is known for his celebrations, and this time he made sure that the crowd reacted to the brilliant birdie as he closed in on the Northern Irish golfer. According to Andy Johnson, that was meant to put pressure on the leader of the pack and give the 31-year-old a bit more to maneuver. “I think he did that so that Rory could hear it. At that time, Rory was 4 up on Bryson, I think he was trying to jostle him a bit.” The podcast host added.

DeChambeau, with his performance towards the latter stages of the third round, has set the stage for what is promising to be an exciting round of golf.  “Golf is a psychological warfare, and you can be the most polite guy, but oftentimes, the polite guys get run over the most. That was so so calculated. I think that’s what he is going to bring in tomorrow.” Johnson further gave context.

Could DeChambeau faze Rory McIlroy?

Rory McIlroy has had a history of tough fourth rounds. Remember 2011 at Augusta. He scored a woeful 8 over par from the first position on the leaderboard to finish 4 under par at T15.

DeChambeau had front-row seats for another disappointing fourth round for Rory McIlroy. For a quick flashback, that was at the 2024 US Open, something that DeChambeau was trying to bring back in the memory of the Northern Irish golfer.  During the 2024 event at Pinehurst, McIlroy was set to win his first ever major in 10 years as he was ahead of DeChambeau by 2 strokes during the ending stages of Round 4.

However, the 4-time Major winner slipped and carded 3 bogeys in the last four holes to finish 1 stroke behind DeChambeau and ended up losing the coveted major title. This would be fresh in the memory of the 35-year-old who will be looking to bury the memories of the past by winning here at Augusta.

It flared up for a second in style ahead of “The Showdown” exhibition in December 2024. During a practice round, McIlroy jokingly vowed revenge—“I want to get him back for what he did to me at the U.S. Open.” DeChambeau didn’t miss a beat, firing back with a brutal zinger: “To be fair, you kind of did it to yourself.” The stage was set for a comeback.

So, do you think McIlroy can stand tall in the crucial mental battle that is happening against Bryson DeChambeau? Or can the two-time US Open winner find the crack in the tough shield that is McIlroy?