Bryson DeChambeau challenges Tiger Woods in the LIV vs. TGL match

The professional golf world is trying hard to make team golf a reality. First with LIFE Golf and soon after with DATEmajor players and stakeholders in the game are betting that the future holds a place for players competing on fan-supported teams as with other pro sports. Bryson DeChambeau is chief among them.

However, with the great exception of the Ryder CupTeam golf events have not penetrated the public consciousness the way traditional individual stroke play events have. For example, next week’s TGL finale won’t draw the same audience as it did Masters 2026 in April.

But earlier this week, DeChambeau served up an idea that would surely interest fans: a grudge match between them Tiger Woods’ Team TGL and Team LIV Golf of DeChambeau.

DeChambeau floats Team LIV vs. TGL matchup: ‘Big game growing moment’

DeChambeau is in South Africa this week for LIV Golf’s first tournament in the country. Crowds of fans are expected to pack The Club in Steyn City to see Bryson and co. as they left on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, DeChambeau sat in on his Crushers GC team’s pre-tournament press conference.

As he has done in the past, Bryson argued his belief that team golf could be at the “vanguard” of the game in the coming years.

“I think there’s an opportunity in the future for team golf to be near the front of golf, with all — even the majors and whatever. I think at some point we can get close,” DeChambeau said Tuesday in South Africa. “It’s never going to be a big thing, obviously, but having golf rivalries on the team, whether it’s just the Crushers against the South Guards or whatever is great.”

Then Bryson came up with his idea for the ultimate team rivalry match: his Crushers LIV team against Tiger’s Jupiter Links TGL team.

“Imagine a scenario where we face Jupiter Links in an 18-hole showcase, four men/four men, facing each other on a Netflix show or something, or whoever wants to put it on a show,” DeChambeau continued.

As DeChambeau sees it, team golf can attract sports fans who don’t typically watch golf, using NFL football as an example.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunities for teams to come up against teams in the future that could be a big growing moment for people who have never played the game watching and just tuning in. Maybe they never play the game, but they tune in, just like football,” he said.

The big difference here is that far more people watch football than play, while more people play golf than watch it, as DeChambeau explained Tuesday.

“Only about 2 million people play football, but there are over 50 million who watch every week. The Super Bowl gets over 100 million people who watch it, a two-and-a-half, three-hour showcase,” DeChameau said. “In golf it’s almost the opposite, where 3 to 5 million people watch a week at different tournaments and you can add them together and — these aren’t perfect numbers, but you know what I mean. Then there’s probably 50 to 60 million people who play the game … I think there’s an opportunity for the world to see the match for what the rival team might be.”

He continued: “I think we’re an individual sport; I understand that. But we play team events. We have the Ryder Cup. We have the Presidents Cup. There’s got to be something else. Why not?”

As for the hypothetical LIV vs. TGL matchup, DeChambeau suggested playing 4-on-4 kicks for the format.

“As for the Crushers going against Jupiter Links in an 18-hole match, 4-v-4 stroke play. We can just call them up now and say let’s go. Let’s do it,” declared DeChambeau. “Why not? That would be fun. Tell them who’s the best, who’s the best team in the world, or any of them. LA, it doesn’t matter. We’d go against them. Jon Rahm’s team, we’d all go against them. How great would that be for golf, too?”

For now, DeChambeau will have to settle for team LIV vs. LIV matchups. Heading into LIV South Africa, his Crushers team is currently ranked second in the LIV team standings.