Rory McIlroy wouldn't speak to playing partner Bryson DeChambeau during the final round Sunday at the Masters, and it turns out that was all part of his strategy.
McIlroy's sports psychologist Bob Rotella claimed his silent treatment had nothing to do with DeChambeau and was more about keeping the 35-year-old focused on the task of winning the tournament.
Rotella told the BBC, "That didn't have anything to do with Bryson. That was just the game plan all week and we wanted to get lost in it.
"We didn't want to pay any attention to what anyone else was scoring, or shooting, or swinging, or how far they were hitting. We just wanted Rory to play his game," Rotella said. "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 strategy paid off as McIlroy finally won his first green jacket on the first sudden death playoff hole against Justin Rose. The victory made him the sixth man in golf history to complete a career grand slam.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rory McIlroy's Silent Treatment of Bryson DeChambeau Was All Part of His Masters Strategy.