Will Sunday Be Like the 'Duel in the Sun'?

It will be the first time the two competitors have been grouped together since the first two rounds of the 2020 Travelers Championship and first time they have been paired in the final round since the Charles Schwab Challenge in May 2020.

Even though it's been five years since they’ve played together, they have been aware of each other, most recently at last year’s U.S. Open. McIlroy took the lead in the final round but lost it, and then DeChambeau cemented a victory on the final hole.

All this week, the focus has been on McIlroy; coming in with two wins this season, he was the odds-on favorite.

Even the Big Three of Nicklaus, Watson and Gary Player deemed it so after their opening tee shots of the 89^th Masters as they pontificated about golf in their annual press conference on Thursday morning.

DeChambeau was not even an afterthought as Nicklaus threw a little sunshine on defending champion Scottie Scheffler after backing McIlroy

McIlroy made his presence felt in Thursday’s first round with four birdies over the first 14 holes and looked the part of a future green jacket holder until two double bogeys derailed his great start.

In the second round, the Ulsterman brought the attention back on himself with a 6-under 66, which he then equaled on Saturday. In doing so, he set a record with six straight 3s to start the round.

DeChambeau took a more conventional approach to get into the final pairing, shooting 69-68-69.

At least on Saturday, it wasn’t a pretty round, but as golfers say, there are no pictures on the scorecard, and DeChambeau manufactured the round he needed to make the final group.

If demeanor counts for anything, McIlroy looked like a deer in the headlights in his post-round press conference and had difficulty articulating his thoughts and feelings.

On the other hand, DeChambeau was more relaxed and engaging with the media.

As observations go, they are just that.

Both players are playing well, or they wouldn’t be in this position, but McIlroy has tremendous pressure on him.

Not only is he four years older and without a major victory since the 2014 PGA Championship, but his chances at the Masters have been very limited.

The loss at Pinehurst was one of those grating defeats that linger.

It won’t matter to either player on Sunday at Pinehurst as the two trade blows, but it will be a parting thought if McIlroy loses again to DeChambeau.

And a difficult pill to swallow for a player who has had to explain a drought that was never envisioned after winning his fourth major title in his 20s.