Rory McIlroy's behaviour raised by PGA Tour star after Bryson DeChambeau silent treatment

Rory McIlroy did engage with at least one of his Masters playing partners after ignoring The US Open champion revealed did at Augusta as the Northern Irishman attempted to and finally complete golf's Grand Slam after a decade-long wait.

McIlroy eventually got the job done, beating Justin Rose at the first playoff hole after DeChambeau faded to finish in a tie for fifth. After his final round, he was asked about McIlroy's frame of mind during a chaotic back nine. DeChambeau said: "No idea. Didn't talk to me once all day." He added: "He wouldn't talk to me." However, Corey Conners has revealed that he and McIlroy had exchanged a few words during their round together on Saturday. Speaking at the RBC Heritage, the Canadian, 33, who finished tied-eighth, said: "We certainly had a few chats. I've gotten to know Rory a little bit, being paired together with him on Sunday at The Players.

"I wouldn't say I'm super talkative, but we had a few conversations out there. I don't know if that would have been different on Sunday when everything was on the line."

McIlroy's silence with DeChambeau wasn't a personal slight but rather a calculated decision to eliminate all possible distractions. Speaking to the BBC, his psychologist, Bob Rotella, explained: "That didn't have anything to do with Bryson. That was just the gameplan all week, and we wanted to get lost in it.

"We didn't want to pay attention to what anyone else was scoring, or shooting, or swinging or how far they were hitting it - we just wanted Rory to play his game.

"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."

Revealing his tactics for the final round to CBS's Amanda Balionis, McIlroy said: "I think the big thing is not to make it a rematch [with DeChambeau], stay in my own little world.

"There's a few other people on that leaderboard that could make a run, so I just have to do what I've been doing, sort of surround myself in my own little cocoon and just get into my own little bubble. He'll do what he does, and I just have to stay firm and just stay in my own little world."