Rory McIlroy has fired again at feedback from reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who declared he was shocked the Northern Eire star by no means talked with him through the Masters remaining spherical.
The 36-year-old turned solely the sixth man to finish the profession Slam by successful final month’s Masters for his fifth main title, snapping a serious win drought relationship to 2014 with a victory that introduced him to tears on the 18th inexperienced.
However the postscript to McIlroy’s Masters masterpiece was dominated by questions over whether or not he has an actual, simmering feud with DeChambeau.
“I don’t know what he was anticipating. We’re attempting to win the Masters. I’m not going to attempt to be his finest mate on the market,” McIlroy responded to questions on DeChambeau on Wednesday.
“I used to be targeted on myself and what I wanted to do. That’s actually all that it was. It wasn’t something towards him. That’s what I wanted to do get the most effective out of myself that day.”
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‘I am not attempting to be his finest mate’ | 00:33
McIlroy is having fun with the achievement of finishing a profession Grand Slam and doesn’t need extra hurdles to beat as he appears to future challenges resembling this week’s PGA Championship.
“I’ve achieved every thing that I’ve needed,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I’ve completed every thing I’ve needed to do within the sport. I dreamed as a baby of changing into the most effective participant on the planet and successful all of the majors. I’ve completed that.
“Every thing past this, for nonetheless lengthy I determine to play the sport competitively, is a bonus.”
McIlroy shuns watching movies of his victory, preferring to recall the feelings of a second that also brings him to the verge of crying.
“I’ve tried to not watch it quite a bit as a result of I need to keep in mind the emotions,” McIlroy mentioned.
“After I rewatch loads of issues again, I then simply keep in mind the visuals of the TV moderately than what I used to be feeling and what I used to be seeing via my very own eyes.
“However anytime I’ve, I nicely up. I nonetheless really feel like I need to cry.
“I’ve by no means felt a launch like that earlier than and I’d by no means really feel a launch like that once more. That could possibly be a once-in-a-lifetime factor, and it was a really cool second.”
Bryson salty? ‘Did not discuss to me as soon as’ | 00:20
For McIlroy, it’s time to bask within the glow of success and never fear about creating extra burdens, even on the PGA at Quail Hole, the place he has received 4 PGA Tour occasions.
“I believe everybody noticed how onerous having a North Star is and having the ability to recover from the road,” McIlroy mentioned.
“If I can simply attempt to get the most effective out of myself each week, I do know what my skills are. And if I preserve turning up and attempting to do this, particularly in these 4 massive ones a yr, I do know I’ll have my probabilities.”
There aren’t any main win whole targets for McIlroy. There may be solely enjoying the sport as finest he can as usually as doable.
“I’m by no means going to place a quantity on it. I’ve talked about attempting to turn into the most effective European ever or the most effective worldwide participant ever or no matter that’s,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I really feel like I kind of burdened myself with the profession Grand Slam stuff, and I need to take pleasure in this. I need to take pleasure in what I’ve achieved, and I need to benefit from the final decade or no matter of my profession, and I don’t need to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I simply need to go and attempt to play the most effective golf I can.”
Profitable the profession Slam has been much more than McIlroy dreamed it might be for him.
“It’s every thing I believed it might be,” McIlroy mentioned.
“The outpouring of help and congratulatory messages has been completely wonderful.
“Everybody must have targets and desires, and I’ve been in a position to do one thing that I dreamed of for a very long time. I’m nonetheless going to set myself targets. I’m nonetheless going to attempt to obtain sure issues.
“However I sit right here realizing that that very nicely could possibly be the spotlight of my profession.
“That’s a really cool factor. I need to nonetheless create loads of different highlights and excessive factors, however I’m unsure if every other win will stay as much as what occurred a number of weeks in the past.”
In the meantime, five-time main champion McIlroy has dedicated to the following two editions of the Australian Open, with the world No. 2 set to headline tournaments in 2025 and 2026.