For the 45th time, the best American and European golfers will compete against one another for international bragging rights. It’s time for the Ryder Cup, and every player taking part wants to be on the winning team.
It’s an especially meaningful tournament for the United States, who lost to Europe two years ago in Italy. This year’s event will take place on American soil, and some of the country’s best golfers will be taking part in the competition.
Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele highlight Team USA as Olympic gold medalists. Other top names for the American contingent include Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, but the most polarizing name on the list is Bryson DeChambeau.
Some have criticized DeChambeau for seemingly caring more about his social media stats and career as a content creator instead of taking his golf more seriously. With only days remaining until he steps to the first tee for the Ryder Cup, DeChambeau addressed some of his critics.
Bryson Bites Back at His Critics
“All I’m trying to do is inspire kids on YouTube,” DeChambeau told the Golf Channel this week.
The golfer responded to comments from Rory McIlroy, who said that “the only way [DeChambeau] gets attention is by mentioning other people.”
“Whatever Rory says and whatnot is great. He didn’t mean anything by it. I’m excited, I hope we can have some good banter back and forth and if not and he wants to do what he’s doing, great, no problem. Crowd’s going to be on our side.”
McIlroy will be competing against DeChambeau at the Ryder Cup, but the two golfers have been engaged in a much different kind of battle over the last few years. McIlroy is a member of the PGA Tour, while DeChambeau made the controversial decision to join LIV Golf.
DeChambeau is the only American player on the team who isn’t on the PGA Tour, but his teammates aren’t worried about the divide causing issues with team chemistry.
Team USA’s Full Support For DeChambeau
“He’s a really fiery player,” said American captain Keegan Bradley. “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.”
Bradley also said that DeChambeau has gone out of his way to foster a team-first atmosphere despite the usual frosty reception for LIV players.
“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 about his teammate.
This year’s edition will be DeChambeau’s third Ryder Cup appearance, but it will be his first after deciding to leave the PGA Tour. Despite his decision, DeChambeau remains one of the world’s most popular players.
His American teammates believe that popularity will get the crowd on their side, and for their sake, the Ryder Cup. Fans can tune into the 2025 Ryder Cup this weekend on NBC, Peacock and the USA Network – starting with Friday morning’s opening session.
