Rory McIlroy brutally shot down Bryson DeChambeau ahead of the 2025 PGA Championship, claiming the two were never going to be "best friends" during last month's final round at the Masters. DeChambeau claimed his playing partner didn't speak to him once during Sunday's action at Augusta, which McIlroy went on to win.  

It wasn't without drama, though, with McIlroy missing a four-footer in regulation play, forcing the tournament into a play-off with Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose. The Northern Irishman hit a timely birdie to take the title and secure his first-ever green jacket, while completing the career grand slam in the process. 

However, in the aftermath of McIlroy's Masters win, DeChambeau raised eyebrows after suggesting the 35-year-old gave him the silent treatment. Speaking ahead of the PGA Championship, McIlroy confronted the claims, saying: "I don't know what he was expecting.

"We were trying to win the Masters, I'm not going to try and be his best mate out there. Everyone approaches the game in different ways, I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. That's really all it was, it wasn't anything against him, I felt that's what I needed to do to get the best out of myself that day."

The meet at Quail Hollow is the first major since McIlroy won the Masters and the first championship since he ended his 11-year wait for one of golf's big titles. The County Down native believes the pressure being off his shoulders could work in his favour this week. 

McIlroy stated: "I think everybody saw how hard having a North Star [goal] is and getting over the line. If I can try and get the best out of myself each and every week, I know what my abilities are. I know the golf I can play, if I keep turning up and trying to do that every week, especially in these four big ones a year, I know that I'll have my chances. 

"I've always said I'm never going to put a number on it. I've talked about trying to become the best European ever, but again the numbers tell one story but it might not be a full story."

Opening up about the pressures of carrying the career grand slam target around with him for over a decade, McIlroy, in a telling statement for his rivals, admitted he's now completed what he set out to when he began playing. He said: "I've achieved everything that I've wanted, I've done everything I wanted to in the game. As a child, I dreamed of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors. So everything beyond this, depending on how long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus." 

He continued: "I feel like I've burdened myself with the career grand slam stuff. I want to enjoy this, I want to enjoy what I've achieved. I want to enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career and I don't want to burden myself with numbers or statistics, I just want to try and play the best golf I can."

McIlroy is being hotly tipped to contest for a second consecutive major title, not just because he's broken the hoodoo, but also as Quail Hollow is a course he knows well. When asked if it's felt different as a major is on the line, McIlroy responded: "I thought it was going to feel different, because it's a major championship. But fairways still have the same cutlines, visuals. So it doesn't feel that much different." 

McIlroy will begin his search for a first PGA Championship title since 2014 when he tees off on Thursday afternoon.