By: GOLF Editors April 12, 2025
Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau are locked in a battle atop the leaderboard at Augusta National. Here’s who our staffers think will win.
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Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the Masters at Augusta National, we’ll hit one key topic every night.
Rory McIlroy holds the 54-hole lead of the 2025 Masters, and he’ll start Sunday 12 under, two shots clear of Bryson DeChambeau and four ahead of Corey Conners. Others still lurk further back, but McIlroy is in prime condition to (finally) complete the career grand slam. So, does he finally do it Sunday? Who wins the Masters?
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): We honestly couldn’t ask for a better Masters Sunday showdown. Rory vs. Bryson, again! Before Bryson drained his monster birdie putt on 18, I felt that this Masters was shaping up to be truly Rory’s. But Bryson’s energy is so infectious. And a two-shot margin is nothing at Augusta. Rory’s task will be to start hot — like today — and stay steady. No disasters allowed. Bryson is sure to be pumped up, so if he gets an early edge on Rory, it might be tough to overcome. I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen. But my heart wants this badly for Rory. This is his chance to banish so many demons for good. The more I think about it, the more certain I am that he won’t let this one slip away. Career grand slam on the line. Avenging the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Couldn’t write a better script.
Rory McIlroy makes Masters history with blistering start to third round
By: Josh Schrock
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Exactly. It’s the perfect script. And redemption for Rory is the ending that makes the most sense. I like the way he’s talking this time around. Remember when he was in the final group with Patrick Reed in 2018? McIlroy spoke of that pairing in advance like it was a showdown with Reed. On Saturday evening, he talked instead about staying in “my own little bubble.” That’s the better head space. His long wait for another major (and the career grand slam) ends tomorrow. Either that, or Scottie Scheffler shoots 61 to pass him.
Maddi MacClurg, editor and producer (@maddimacclurg): There’s no doubt it’s shaping up to be an exciting final round. While I’d love to see an underdog take home the green jacket, Rory’s game is undeniable right now — and this time, he has an extra edge: patience. During today’s round, there were moments when a younger version of Rory might’ve lost the mental battle, but now he’s clearly biding his time and striking when it counts. His ball striking has been almost surgical in its precision, and he’s scrambling brilliantly when he does miss a green. As much as I’d hate to bet against Bryson, whose game is nearly as sharp, his inconsistent distance control with his irons could cost him — especially when the wind is swirling on Augusta’s back nine.
Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): I’d like to think that Rory will at last conquer the demons and win at Augusta, but the recipe for heartbreak is right there — and with the same cast of characters from Pinenurst. My heart says Rory finally gets it done, but my mind says Bryson rips his heart out yet again. All I know is it’s going to be one heck of a Sunday.
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Sunday will be a day that golf deserves given the game’s recent state of turmoil over the past several years. The psychological examination McIlroy will undergo Sunday while paired with DeChambeau will be fascinating. He admitted to getting “out of his bubble” during his Pinehurst collapse. If he stumbles early tomorrow, I worry about the final outcome. But life can only be so cruel. McIlroy has been kicked over and over again and continues to dust himself off and go again. He’s playing the best golf in the world and I think he stuffs DeChambeau in a locker tomorrow.
