A planned exhibition match between PGA Tour and LIV Golf League stars offers a chance for the two sides to start reuniting the golf world, Bryson DeChambeau said Thursday.
Speaking at the Bolingbrook Golf Club ahead of the LIV Golf Chicago tournament, which begins Friday, DeChambeau said he is happy to participate in the match if it means he can help “get this game back in good standing.”
DeChambeau is set to play with Brooks Koepka against Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler in a LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour affair at Las Vegas in December.
Since DeChambeau and Koepka moved to LIV Golf, the stars on each side only collide in the four major tournaments each year.
“We want to bring this game back to a place where I would say everyone has the opportunity to see the greatest play a lot more than four times a year,” DeChambeau said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase how we evolve that over the course of time. The details are not very fully fleshed out yet.”
DeChambeau, who turns 31 on Monday, fared well in those four majors in 2024. He won the U.S. Open, was second to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship and was tied for sixth at the Masters, won by Scheffler.
He said he hopes the chance to compete with PGA Tour players grows.
“We always wanted to have a PGA Tour and LIV sort of battle a couple years ago,” he said. “We always thought that would be pretty cool and whatnot. But I think it’s going to develop over the course of time and hopefully give the people what they want.”
As for LIV Chicago, DeChambeau said it’s vital for his team — Crushers GC — to have a good week ahead of the team finals next week in Dallas. Crushers has a narrow lead in the season standings over captain Jon Rahm‘s Legion XIII entering play this weekend.
“It’s incredibly important. It gives us some confidence for next week,” said DeChambeau, captain of the Crushers team that also consists of Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri and Charles Howell III.
“Next week is a good ball-striking test. All around, it’s a championship-style golf course, so I think having our games looking fresh and ready to go into next week is important.
“I feel like I’m in a good place. I see the other teammates being in a good place. Let’s just go play the best golf we possibly can and hopefully get some good momentum for next week.”