Rory McIlroy not speaking to Bryson DeChambeau at Masters was ‘part of his game plan’

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy beat England’s Justin Rose in a sudden-death play-off, after a dramatic final round that saw him blow a four-shot lead at one stage and miss a par putt on the 18th to win in regulation.

“If you watched Rory, he was very locked into his own world. It’s just you and the golf course and your caddie,” said Rotella.

“You get lost in this world that you’ve made up, and play the game you love. I think he did a beautiful job of that all day. He did so many things to bounce back time after time.”

Part of their strategy involved McIlroy’s yardage book, which he could be seen looking at many times throughout his round.

The book usually includes maps or diagrams of each hole on the course, but Rotella said it also included notes of their chats.

“We would have a chat every day before the round, and he would make some notes, and every couple of holes, he would take a look around to remind yourself. That’s what he was looking at,” he added.

Explaining the psychology further, Rotella said that after a disappointment a player should aim to make the “next shot your best shot”.

“We begin with the idea that golf, by design, is a game of mistakes, and if you love golf, you have to love the mistakes,” he said.

“You have to remind them that other players are playing the same game, and they will also all make mistakes.

“The second part is understanding that you are a human being, you’re going to make mistakes. Human beings have a free will, and that means we get to choose how we think and respond to all the crazy things that happen to us on the golf course and in life.”