Bryson DeChambeau’s LIV Golf contract is up at the end of this season, and it could not be better timing for the two-time major winner.
As his contractual obligation to be a member of LIV Golf comes to a close, LIV Golf looks to be falling apart around him. The Saudi Public Investment Fund withdrew support, and LIV CEO Scott O’Neil couldn’t guarantee the final four events of the year will take place.
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DeChambeau has dedicated the last four years into becoming the face of LIV Golf, attempting to assist in the growth in its stature within the game. But the house of cards is falling around him, and he’s eyeing the exit ramp.
The American has publicly claimed multiple times that he’s willing to step away from full time competition to focus on content creation, while only playing the major championships. But Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee is convinced that DeChambeau is actually hoping for a PGA Tour return.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Brandel Chamblee thinks Bryson DeChambeau is seeking PGA Tour return
For years, DeChambeau has been the direct opposition to the PGA Tour. He was a part of a lawsuit against the tour when LIV Golf first started, and his rivalry with Rory McIlroy has been rooted with a LIV vs PGA Tour undertone.
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But he was spotted speaking to PGA Tour officials about a potential return at The Masters, just before news that the PIF had withdrawn support was reported.
In the meantime, DeChambeau missed the cut at Augusta and at Aronimink for the PGA Championship. These poor performances on the course can be attributed to uncertainty off the course, according to Chamblee.
Speaking on the Golf Channel’s U.S. Open preview call, Chamblee said, “The distraction of LIV being in flux, and Bryson—from what we can all sort of read between the lines is that—he’s trying to figure out a way to come back to the PGA Tour, at least that’s what we’re hearing through the grapevine.
“So, just being in flux, I think it’s hurt a lot of players’ games. Before people went to LIV, when they were considering going to LIV, we saw a number of games just inexplicably fall off.
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“And maybe that is the larger point of what’s going on with Bryson this year, is that he’s completely in a state of flux. He put so much into LIV, and now it’s up in flames. So there’s a lot of doubt as to where he’s going be next year. So, maybe that is the larger part of it.”
Why Bryson DeChambeau’s PGA Tour return is unlikely
Despite DeChambeau’s reported interest in a return to the PGA Tour, the two parties remain worlds apart.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said that anyone returning to the tour from LIV Golf would have to agree to a deal harsher than the one Brooks Koepka agreed to when he jumped ship in January.
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Koepka agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation, and accepted that he would not receive sponsor exemptions to Signature Events, or receive FedEx Cup bonus money at the end of the year.
But DeChambeau is unwilling to come to terms with the tour. He said that Rolapp’s comments were a shame, considering, “What I could do for them”. This prompted DeChambeau to say that he’s completely willing to do content creation full time, in what was deemed by many a play for some leverage.
The tour are unlikely to back down from their stance, and so is DeChambeau, so it appears that the two-time major winner will be forced to stay on LIV, if it exists in 2027, or do YouTube for at least a year.
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