THE FEUD between Rory McIlroy and American golf star Bryson DeChambeau got its newest chapter following Europe’s Ryder Cup victory on Sunday.
The pair had exchanged shots towards each other in the months leading up to the event, and fans were waiting to see if they would continue their back-and-forth on the course at Bethpage Black.
Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy share a heated rivalry[/caption]
Both men ended up having their share of explosive moments at the tournament, with McIlroy cursing at one US fan and having several others removed during the tournament amid abuse towards him and his wife Erica.
Meanwhile, DeChambeau had a public row on the greens with Tommy Fleetwood and his caddie Ian Finnis.
But it was only after Europe‘s confirmation as winners of the Ryder Cup that tensions flared directly between the two.
McIlroy was seen cheekily using a European flag to cover up DeChambeau’s name during his team’s celebrations, egged on by the crowd and teammate Matt Fitzpatrick.
It was the latest in a series of public tiffs between the two that started following McIlroy’s spectacular collapse at the US Open last year.
DeChambeau profited as the Northern Irish star dropped three shots on the final four holes to hand the American his second win at the tournament.
McIlroy was then reported to have left the course without congratulating his opponent, eventually doing so the following day through his Instagram account.
The tournament would become a point of contention between the two again as they prepared for ‘The Showdown’ last December, a battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
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The pair met on the range before the event and McIlroy told a TV crew: “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 replied: “Well, to be fair, you kinda did it to yourself.”
McIlroy suffered heartbreak at the US Open at Pinehurst in 2024[/caption]
McIlroy is thought to have been upset by the quip, which was considered cruel.
The duo then played alongside together in the last pairing of the final round of the Masters in April this year.
McIlroy famously won in a play-off over Justin Rose, after one of the most white-knuckle gut-wrenching final rounds in history.
DeChambeau later gave a sparky response when asked how Rory had coped, saying: “No idea, he didn’t talk to me once all day.”
McIlroy later fired back: “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.”
As attentions turned towards the Ryder Cup, DeChambeau would again rekindle the rivalry, telling the press at the Happy Gilmore 2 premier in July: “I’ll be chirping in his ear this time. If we go up against each other, you can be sure of it.”
McIlroy took a dim view of the comments, and fired back accusing ‘The Scientist’ of using his name for headlines.
He told The Guardian in the week leading up to the Ryder Cup: “I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people.”
Now it remains to be seen whether McIlroy’s flag-based hijinks have closed this new entry in the duo’s saga, or is DeChambeau will respond to keep the fires of rivalry burning.
The two are both among the richest and most successful stars of their sport.
The pair survived troubled waters after seeming set for a divorce last year[/caption]
The pair U-turned on that decision, and the family are celebrating the Ryder cup win together[/caption]
McIlroy’s Masters triumph completed the Grand Slam of all four majors and took him to 44 professional wins, including five major championships.
DeChambeau has managed 14 professional victories, which includes two major titles.
As a result of their achievements on the course, McIlroy’s net worth is estimated to £260m, while DeChambeau has around £145m.
McIlroy owns multiple luxurious properties across the world, including a Florida mansion, a house in La Quinta, California mansion, an estate in Northern Ireland, and apartments in New York and Dubai.
He also has a new mansion being custom made on the exclusive Wentworth estate in Surrey.
DeChambeau recently sold his swanky mansion in Texas to move into another in the same area.
He is rumoured to be dating Lilia Schneider, a college golfer from Indianapolis. They have been pictured sharing a buggy at a LIV event.
He has since claimed that he is “talking to someone” but is keeping things open and refuses to label anything as a relationship.
Bryson Dechambeau is rumoured to be dating golfer Lilia Schneider[/caption]
DeChambeau had previously dated another college golfer, Hunter Nugent, but she revealed that they had parted in 2022 and that Schneider was now with the American.
He also used to date Sophia Phalen Bertolami who launched her own line of swimwear line with La Isla for a ‘large cup’ bikini wearer.
McIlroy’s love life is equally complicated.
Last year his marriage to wife Erica Stoll looked to be over as they prepared to divorce, before a surprise change of heart and a dramatic U-turn on legal proceedings.
Before that, he spent three years with Danish tennis beauty Caroline Wozniacki before breaking off their engagement in a phone call that lasted just three minutes.
In 2014, McIlroy was romantically linked with Meghan Markle, before she married Prince Harry.
The pair flirted in a video shared on social media, as he helped her take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral trend adopted by many celebs to raise money for ALS.
Inside Rory McIlroy’s whirlwind love life
RORY MCILROY enjoyed a high-profile romance with former tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki before their split in 2014.
The following year, the golf ace began dating Erica Stoll, who he had first met on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Erica often interacted with players through her role as the PGA’s manager of championship volunteer operations.
She even prevented McIlroy from missing his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup after some confusion over the time zone.
The incident began a firm friendship between the pair, four years before their relationship turned romantic.
McIlroy and Erica were spotted on a string of dates in Rochester, New York, in the early days of their relationship.
Just eight months later, the couple got engaged in Paris and walked down the aisle at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017.
The pair then welcomed daughter Poppy into the world three years later.
Throughout their time together, McIlroy and Erica have kept their relationship to themselves, with the golfer keen to protect his family from the cameras during filming of Netflix’s Full Swing documentary series.
However, after seven years of marriage, McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica.
The reasons for the divorce were not disclosed, but the Northern Irishman submitted documents to a court in Florida.
However, a few weeks later, performed a U-turn on their decision to divorce.
McIlroy told the outlet: “Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
