Bridgerton v Bond – McIlroy & DeChambeau prepare for showdown

Aside from their love of hitting the ball prodigious distances with their drivers, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau’s approach to winning the Masters could not be more different.

While McIlroy has spent this week blocking out “the noise”, DeChambeau has been feeding off the rising decibels echoing through the Georgia Pines at Augusta National.

While McIlroy strolled serenely and stony faced to the scorer’s hut after Saturday’s second successive 66, DeChambeau bounded up the hill with a beaming smile, energised by a closing 50-foot birdie – his 69th shot – high-fiving everyone and anyone.

While McIlroy planned to spend a quiet Saturday evening away from his phone and trying to stay awake for an episode of raunchy period drama Bridgerton, DeChambeau was ready to embrace his mobile and was looking forward to a late night spent watching action of a different sort, a James Bond film.

The two look set for a final-round showdown on Sunday as they attempt to become Masters champion for the first time.

McIlroy leads on 12 under par, two ahead of DeChambeau.

There are others on the leaderboard with pedigree though. Canadian Corey Conners, something of an Augusta expert with three top 10s in his past six starts, is the next best at eight under and he is two clear of last year’s runner-up Ludvig Aberg and 2018 champion Patrick Reed.

But Masters Sunday is already being billed as a rematch by many – a chance for McIlroy to exact revenge after he capitulated in the final three holes at last year’s US Open and DeChambeau took full advantage.

Victory for the man from Northern Ireland would see him become the first in a quarter of a century to complete the career Grand Slam and match the feats of Gene Sarazen (completed in 1935), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1965), Jack Nicklaus (1966) and Tiger Woods (2000).

Anything other than a win would add another painful chapter to this storied golfer’s rollercoaster history in the biggest tournaments.

“I’ll have some dinner and try to make it through the second episode of the third season of Bridgerton,” said McIlroy of his evening’s plans.

“I fell asleep during episode one [on Friday night].

“I’ll put the phone away. I’ve tried to stay clear of that this week. Try not to look at it until Sunday night.”

“And then [on Sunday] it’s just trying to fill that time between 07:00 and 10:30 before heading to the golf course.

“I watched a little bit of Premier League football [on Saturday], and then I watched Zootopia with [daughter] Poppy. It’s a very, very good movie if anyone’s interested.”

For his American rival, it is a chance pick up a third major title and further prove that playing on the LIV Series circuit is not a hindrance to winning the sport’s most important prizes.

And as a player who thrives on the energy from the crowd, DeChambeau has no plans to keep things quiet on Sunday.

“Just getting the patrons going and having a bit of fun with them makes me focus more,” he said. “It’s a fun thing that whenever I feel like I feed into the crowd, they give that energy back and it’s a cool feeling.”

And when asked how he will he be preparing for his quest to win a maiden Green Jacket, he replied: “Eating, looking at my phone – I don’t have a problem with that.

“Watching a move – probably James Bond or something. I love James Bond movies. Pierce Brosnan.

“I’ll probably go to bed late and get up around 10:00, 10:30 and see how the course is playing and go from there.”

McIlroy has not held the 54-hole lead at any major since the US PGA Championship in 2014 – a tournament he went on to win.

In fact, he has closed out at every major he has led going into the final round, apart from at Augusta National, when a meltdown on the second nine cost him victory in 2011.

It is, therefore, perhaps unsurprising he is not getting carried away with his current advantage.

“I still have to remind myself that there’s a long way to go,” he said. “I, just as much as anyone else, know what can happen on the final day here.

“I’ve got a lot of experience – and thankfully I’ve got a short memory.”

On Saturday, McIlroy started with three birdies and an eagle in his opening five holes, and became the first player to open with six straight threes at the Masters.

Afterwards, he said it was a challenge to keep his emotions in check when running so hot.

“I am a momentum player,” he said. “There is a balance. You have to ride that momentum as much as you can but temper it with a little bit of rationale and logic.

“It’s a fine dance. I certainly don’t want to be a robot but at the same time, I don’t want to be too animated either.”

The stage is set for a rematch with DeChambeau, who came from two shots back with five holes to go at Pinehurst to win last year’s US Open, and is never shy to show his emotions.

There, McIlroy missed two short putts on holes 16 and 18 to open the door for DeChambeau, who barrelled through in typically raucous fashion.

And he is already relishing the challenge of taking on McIlroy again.

“It will be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a long time and I’m excited for it,” said DeChambeau. “We both want to win really, really badly. It’s going to be an electric atmosphere.”

Follow all the action of the final round with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app from 18:00 BST. Live radio commentary is on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds from 19:30 BST.