James Colgan
Scott Taetsch | Getty Images
It has been several years since any serious details have come out feud between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
Much of this can be attributed to the unlikely circumstances that led the pair to share common interests: their joint stint at LIV Golf and the sudden alignment of their professional incentives. Brooks and Bryson might have made strange bedfellows in those early days of LIV, but they were part of a war tour, so there was no time for bickering over details.
The years that followed the initial downfall at LIV seemed to soften relations between them. Koepka shrugged off the barbs he previously seemed never to have missed, and Bryson left to speak kindly of his LIV compatriots. or match– The similar broadcast pitted the two golfers against each other, but the broadcast delivered dialogue that sounded more like silly conversation and less like a clash between bitter rivals. Then the calendar flipped to the fall of 2024, and suddenly news broke that Bryson and Brooks would be competing togetherIN somewhat hilariously named Crypto.com Showdown, against the PGA Tour duo of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
All of this brought us to Tuesday, when the two LIV representatives joined a press call to answer questions ahead of the made-for-TV match, which will be broadcast from Las Vegas on December 17. Koepka and DeChambeau didn’t last long. to be asked about their commonalities, ermhistory.
“I’ve always had respect for Brooks and what he’s done,” DeChambeau said. “Of course, early on, we didn’t really understand each other. Quite a difficult relationship.”
Rocky is an adjective. Contemptuous may be more accurate. The beef began in 2019 when the pair were paired on a tour in Dubai and DeChambeau’s… PATIENT the pace of the game caused Koepka to be fired during a subsequent podcast interview. It continued into 2020, when Bryson’s ‘Incredible Bulk’ era resulted in a social media war over the physique. The pair shared bromides for several months until, at the 2021 PGA Championship, the Internet lit up with Koepka’s now-famous eye-rolling video. Tensions boil over at the Memorial Championship that same year, when fan taunts led to a week of stories about bullying and a small army of ejections.
The following summer, the couple left for LIV, but peace seemed a long way off. So what happened leading up to Tuesday’s press conference? Koepka elaborated.
“We have come a long way. Going to LIV, honestly, I think was a big moment for us, right? Koepka said. “We were forced – well, I don’t mean forced – but we were communicating a lot more, our conversation became a lot more open. From there, I’m the first person to admit that I can be a little stubborn.”
Koepka, whose press conference appearances generally range from awkward to contentious, was having an honest-to-goodness moment of reflection.
“We all get old, we all mature a little and then you realize, hey, bryson is a good guy“, said Koepka. “I think he’s sorely misunderstood, and I think the world is starting to see who Bryson DeChambeau is, which is good. I am the first person to accept it: I was wrong with my original thoughts.”
For his part, Bryson also looks back to the past in a conciliatory twist.
“We had our fights, but when we both went to LIV, we realized we had a lot in common,” DeChambeau said. “Like a stepfather, in a sense. We’ve developed a pretty solid relationship and have a good respect for each other now.”
Well, there you have it – a story just in time for the holiday season: Peace on earth and goodwill to man.
Bryson and Brooks, friends again. God bless us all.
James Colgan
Editor of Golf.com
James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and leverages his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Before joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddy (and smart) scholarship recipient on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.