'I'm part of Rory McIlroy's inner circle - this is why he snubbed Bryson DeChambeau'

Rory McIlroy's triumph was the defining moment of his professional life, securing the green jacket and completing the career Grand Slam. Yet, during the final round at Augusta National, it was his refusal to engage with playing partner Bryson DeChambeau that drew attention.

McIlroy to the American, a decision rooted not in personal animosity but in a steely focus honed by past heartbreak - most notably his collapse against DeChambeau at the 2024 US Open. That's according to , McIlroy's sports psychologist, who insists the snub was all about keeping him in the zone. "[It] didn't have anything to do with Bryson. That was just the game plan all week and we wanted to get lost in it," Rotella told .

"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."

The final round pairing of and DeChambeau was billed as a blockbuster, a rematch of their dramatic duel at Pinehurst No. 2 last June. McIlroy held a two-shot lead with five holes to play, only to unravel with three bogeys in his final four holes, including missed putts from inside four feet on the 16th and 18th.

DeChambeau capitalised, saving par from a bunker on the last to win his second major by one stroke. McIlroy, devastated, left Pinehurst without speaking to the media, the sting of another major slipping away lingering long after.

Fast-forward to Augusta, and the Northern Irishman was determined not to let history repeat itself. Paired with DeChambeau again, he kept his focus inward.

After signing his scorecard, DeChambeau told reporters: "[I have] no idea [how Rory was feeling]. [He] didn't talk to me once all day." When asked if he'd tried to start a conversation, the Californian added: "He wouldn't talk to me."

His comments left fans and pundits wondering if tensions between the pair had boiled over, particularly with both players on either side of the fierce LIV-PGA divide. But as Rotella pointed out - it was all about mental discipline, not hostility.

The approach paid off. Despite a couple of wobbles - including a missed five-yard putt on the 18th which led to a nerve-jangling play-off against Justin Rose, McIlroy's final round was a showcase of gritty brilliance. His victory saw him become just the sixth player to , joining legends like and Jack Nicklaus.

The win was redemption, erasing numerous Augusta near-misses, the raw pain of Pinehurst, and an 11-year wait for a major title. It proved he'd learned from heartbreak, and by tuning out DeChambeau, he turned stony silence into a statement of resilience.

"If you watched Rory, he was very locked into his own world," Rotella added. "It's just you and the golf course and your caddie. 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."

He added: "Rory is getting tough mentally and emotionally, and that's such a big part of it - you've got to have will that's like steel."