Bryson DeChambeau’s United States teammates came to the golfer’s defense to start the Ryder Cup.
DeChambeau enters the Ryder Cup as the only U.S. golfer representing LIV Golf. One of the sport’s most polarizing players was the subject of some pointed commentary ahead of the biennial tournament.
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Rory McIlroy, who’s playing for Team Europe, told The Guardian that DeChambeau mentions him and other top golfers just to get attention. Golf Channel Brandel Chamblee also ripped DeChambeau on Monday, claiming the 32-year-old only cares about generating views for his YouTube channel.
“It’s one of the reasons why I think he’s going to be such a difficult person to get paired with,” Chamblee said. “No doubt he’s one hell of a golfer. No doubt he has his moments of generosity with fans, I’ve heard about them. But he’s an odd duck when he’s trying to blend in with the team. And he has so many potential bulletin board mistakes, and I think he would be a captain’s nightmare.”
DeChambeau’s teammates defend him
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND – AUGUST 29: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays a shot on the seventh hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club on August 29, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
U.S. Ryder Cup golfers painted a different portrait of DeChambeau, via Golf Digest’s Coleman Brantley. Captain Keegan Badley praised the two-time U.S. Open champion for making an “exceptional” effort to connect with his teammates despite not playing on the PGA Tour.
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“He’s a really fiery player,” Bradley said. “When you come to a Ryder Cup, you don’t want guys to try to be something they’re not. We have a lot of calm, mellow guys, so we need the energy from Bryson. And he brings that every day in practice rounds, in the team room, and hopefully in the tournament competition, too.”
Xander Schauffele also thinks DeChambeau will help energize the U.S. team at Bethpage Black Course.
“I feel like Bryson could be like the difference for us in a strange way from the standpoint of feeding into these fans, the style of golf he plays,” Schauffele said.
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Schauffele called DeChambeau a “gladiator golfer” who can feed off a high-stakes atmosphere.
“He’s been awesome in the team room, and I’m excited to see what he can do.”
Scottie Scheffler conducts himself far differently than DeChambeau, but the world’s top-ranked golfer called DeChambeau a “tremendous competitor” and “great partner.”
“He’s a great guy,” Scheffler said. “He’s a good friend, and he’s been great in our team room. He brings a lot of energy. The people love him, and I think he loves the opportunity to be able to represent his country … I’m excited to unleash him this week.”
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.