By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) -Bryson DeChambeau delivered some late fireworks at the Masters on Saturday to set up a high-profile final-round showdown with Rory McIlroy that will be a rematch of their battle at last year’s U.S. Open.
DeChambeau, who took advantage of a late collapse by McIlroy to win last year’s U.S. Open, earned a spot in Sunday’s final pairing at Augusta when he drained a monstrous 48-foot birdie putt from off the green at the closing par-four 18th.
It will be just the fourth time in the last 30 years that the final pairing of a major will feature two multiple major champions. This time it will also just happen to feature two of the game’s most popular players.
“It will be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau said after a three-under-par 69 brought him to 10 under on the week and two shots back of McIlroy.
At last year’s U.S. Open, DeChambeau entered the final round with a three-shot lead and briefly lost it to McIlroy until the Northern Irishman’s putter went cold late and threw away what would have been his first major since August 2014.
The two have not spoken much since.
“Not really. He said congrats at the British Open,” said DeChambeau. “And that’s pretty much it. We’ve been fine ever since. It’s not really been an issue.”
Now it will be DeChambeau on the chase and he is happy to be the hunter and not the hunted.
“Yeah, I think it’s fun, feeling like you have to hit every single shot to the best of your ability, and you can’t let off the gas pedal,” said DeChambeau. “You just have to focus and play the best – absolute best golf you possibly can.
“When you’re leading, it’s a little different. I’ve had those times, as well. You attack that a little differently. But for me, I’ll be chasing tomorrow. It will be a fun test.”
DeChambeau will most likely do everything he can to whip the Augusta National patrons into a frenzy and help carry him to victory in a battle between two players seeking their first Green Jacket.
When DeChambeau drained a birdie at the par-three 16th to kick off what would be a wild finish to his round, he simply stood still and stared at the fans crowded on the nearby hill across the pond.
“Just getting the patrons going. Having a bit of fun with them. Makes me focus more,” said DeChambeau.
“It’s a fun thing that whenever I feel like I feed into the crowd, especially the patrons here, it just – they give that energy back, and it’s a cool feeling.”
By the time DeChambeau walked off the 18th green toward the scoring areas he was surrounded by screaming fans offering high-fives in scenes that were reminiscent of a professional wrestler heading to the ring for battle.
“That’s what dreams are made of right there,” DeChambeau said of his finish. “Two behind, couldn’t ask for more.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Sonali Paul)
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