He may have missed out on getting his hands on the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening, but the ever-entertaining Bryson DeChambeau more than proved his worth at the PGA Championship.
DeChambeau came within a shot of winning his second major crown at Valhalla, and was only pipped by his former Ryder Cup teammate Xander Schauffele in a pulsating fourth round. When in contention on championship Sunday, a bogey-free six-under 64 usually proves enough to get over the line, but it was not to be for DeChambeau.
He more than played his part though, forcing Schauffele to birdie his final hole of the week to avoid a playoff – something he did with aplomb after a superb second shot with his feet in the bunker and the ball above him on the first cut.
Ever the competitor, DeChambeau took to social media in the aftermath and played down his efforts, writing the caption: “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” in a post on Instagram. The small gain for the Crushers GC captain however was being able to show the rest of the majority of the golfing world what they had been missing over the past two years.
DeChambeau has often been the sport’s marmite during his professional career, and this was only heightened when he opted to join LIV Golf in 2022. This decision of course saw him banned from competing on the PGA Tour, however there is no doubt golf’s leading circuit misses both the personality and talent of the 30-year-old.
Love him or hate him, not many golfers on the planet are able to capture the attention of an audience during an event than DeChambeau. His big-hitting prowess and detailed scientific approach towards the game has made him all the more interesting and entertaining to watch.
Bryson DeChambeau at the PGA Championship.
Bryson DeChambeau finished the week in second.
There is no doubt the professional golf is currently going through one of the darkest periods in its history, with the game split in two amid the fallout of the PGA Tour and LIV. This has often led to the attention being taken away from what is really important – the best players in the world going toe-to-toe regardless of where they play their golf.
Sunday’s final round was as good as reminder as any that the heart of the sport lies with the action taking place on the course, rather than the politics off it. It feels the biggest loser in the sport’s civil war are the fans, who are reduced to seeing the best in the business battle it out just four times a year on the major stage.
The off-course drama appears to be turning fans off too, with the PGA Tour’s viewing figures continuing to dwindle in recent months. There is no doubt the loss of the likes of DeChambeau has played a part in this, and the American issued a timely reminder of what he can offer through his performance in Kentucky last week.
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With interest in the pro game seemingly decreasing, a character like DeChambeau is a necessity at the sport’s biggest events, especially having reached into the new generation of fans by becoming a hit on the ever-growing YouTube golf scene. The American has amassed a whopping 607,000 subscribers on the platform, and whilst weekly-event viewing figures are falling, his own are growing.
It is almost one year since the PGA Tour announced its plans to reach a peace agreement with their Saudi rivals, which is expected to see players from the Tour and LIV setup reunite. DeChambeau himself has expressed his desire to make a return to the PGA Tour, listing a number of some of the circuits most historic events as some he would love to re-add to his schedule. And whilst the big-hitting Californian is not everybody’s cup of tea, there is no doubt he puts eyeballs onto the game of golf.
