The practice area before the final group plays its final round is a kind of strategy hotbed. Gamesmanship abounds. Who arrives on the tee first? Who walks in front of whom? And by how much? We saw Jon Rahm put on a gamesmanship masterclass a few years ago, and he ended up winning.
Is it possible that I’m seeing things that aren’t there? Yes, of course. But it’s fun to speculate on this stuff, so ahead of the Rory McIlroy-Bryson DeChambeau grudge match at the 2025 Masters, I kept a close eye on what both men did at various points before their round, and conducted a little pseudoscience.
Let’s break it down:
Situation 1: Rory and Bryson first arrivals
What happened? Bryson started his practice session drilling putts on a corner of the practice green by the range. Rory started his practice session on the nearby chipping area about 30 yards away.
Who won the gamesmanship battle? Stalemate. They were each focusing on different things, and probably enjoyed not being in each other’s space.
Situation 2: Transition to range
What happened? After a few minutes chipping, McIlroy walked around the putting green Bryson was putting on, and headed to the range. The crowd cheered loudly as Rory settled on a spot almost exactly in the middle of the driving range. Bryson appeared unfazed, continuing his work on the putting green. Bryson arrived on the driving range about 20 minutes after Rory, and after considering a few different spots, settled on a space just past Rory, leaving an empty spot in between. The crowd applauded as Bryson walked past Rory, and no words were exchanged between the two.
Who won the gamesmanship battle? I’m tempted to declare another stalemate, but I’m going to call this one for Rory. Controlling the space between you and your opponent is a key fundamental in good gamesmanship strategy. Squirreling away to a spot on the far corner of the driving range would’ve been conceding Bryson the entire range. Rory instead picked a spot right in the middle, forcing Bryson into a decision. Bryson would’ve won this minor skirmish by selecting the spot directly next to Rory. Instead he conceded the space.
Situation 3: Transition to the clubhouse
What happened? Rory arrived and left the range before Bryson. After carting up to the clubhouse, Rory received a huge ovation walking under the oak tree, towards the practice putting green. Bryson remained on the driving range, and arrived to the same area about 20 minutes later. He received a loud ovation himself, high-fiving patrons as he walked to the putting green by the first tee, where Rory was stationed.
Who won the gamesmanship battle? I’m giving a slight edge to Bryson here, as his later arrival forced Rory to hear his crowd’s roar, while Rory’s early arrival meant Bryson couldn’t hear his.
Situation 4: Transition to the first tee
What happened? Rory arrived on the first tee at about 10 minutes before he was due to tee off at 2:30 p.m. ET. Bryson lingered on the practice putting green until about two minutes before his tee time, before walking to the first tee.
Who won the gamesmanship battle? Big victory for Bryson here. Bryson lingered so long that even patrons were wondering why he wasn’t on the tee yet, and perhaps Rory was thinking the same. I usually give the edge to the final first tee arriver, and I’m doing so again.
Situation 5: Transition to the round
What happened? Rory teed off first, and hit his first tee shot into the bunker on the right. Bryson hooked his second, before both proceeded down the fairway.
Who won the gamesmanship battle? The key is controlling the pace and space here. Rory did both and secures the victory because of it. Not only did he take advantage of his advantage of going first by walking ahead, but he used the opportunity for a ‘fore left’ signal as he walked past.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
