Regardless of what you think of Bryson DeChambeau, it cannot be denied that few players could have achieved what the LIV Golf star has over the last few days at The Open Championship.
There will soon be all sorts of attention on where DeChambeau’s future lies. His contract with LIV Golf expires this year, and there are seemingly no guarantees that the league will still be around in 2027.
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DeChambeau had so much leverage heading into this season. However, missed cuts at the first three majors of the year saw his stock fall considerably.
Bryson DeChambeau is back on top after an incredible week at The Open Championship
The 32-year-old had previously appeared to have found the magic formula for the majors, with six top 10s in the four biggest events of the year across 2024 and 2025.
However, it felt like he was struggling at the worst possible time. The last thing DeChambeau needed at a time when he is either trying to secure the best deal possible on LIV, or the kindest terms imaginable to return to the PGA Tour was to miss the cut at The Masters, the PGA Championship, and the US Open.
But DeChambeau has potentially regained all of that leverage before The Open Championship has even concluded.
There is no question at all that he has been the main character this week at Royal Birkdale.
Before the tournament had even begun, Sir Nick Faldo criticised DeChambeau for having no strategy while playing links golf.
DeChambeau responded with an impressive first round in Southport, and some comments that were clearly directed at the Englishman.
But of course, the biggest controversy surrounding DeChambeau came on Friday as he was handed a two-shot penalty following an incident on the fifth hole in the second round.
DeChambeau did not help himself by seemingly having a tantrum over the decision. Rather than accept the penalty, he threatened to not continue playing in the tournament.
So it made sense that most of the players who spoke to the media on Saturday were asked about DeChambeau.
Unsurprisingly, the most notable comments came from Rory McIlroy, with McIlroy noting that he is not fond of DeChambeau as he backed the decision to hand him a penalty.
Bryson DeChambeau does not need to lift the Claret Jug to be the biggest winner at Royal Birkdale
Of course, DeChambeau would have found himself in an incredibly strong position in negotiations had he lifted the Claret Jug on Sunday anyway.
But it honestly feels like the three missed cuts at the majors have already been completely discounted from his record.
Even if he has a dreadful final round, DeChambeau can point to how he has dominated the headlines this week as proof that he is like no other player in the current game.
It is a shame that DeChambeau’s antics are likely to overshadow this week. But at a time when the PGA Tour is looking to embrace its position in the entertainment industry, The Open has provided a reminder that DeChambeau is a player you simply cannot take your eyes off.
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