First, Berkshire, fresh off winning a third World Long Drive title, launched a ball into the night sky. Then he tossed his driver to his buddy and the 2020 U.S. Open champ, who crushed one of his own before giving a salute to the camera. And we’re pretty sure the facility could contain these two long drive legends. Have a look:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kyle Berkshire (@kyleberkshire)

Pretty impressive. “See ya,” DeChambeau says at the end. Although, again, we hope he’s not referring to someone on the other side of that net needing an ambulance.

Anyway, DeChambeau has had some wild weight swings in certain years, but he looks absolutely jacked in this video. And he’s coming off a strong season that included two LIV victories, a round of 58(!), and a T-4 at the PGA Championship. He’s also involved in a new Drive Shack/Topgolf competitor called UnderPar Life, so maybe he was doing some research. You know, stuff like, how far out does the net need to be if two of the longest hitters on the planet show up?

In any event, those on hand were treated to some fireworks. And hopefully, no one was injured during the show.

Image: Supplied

The post Watch Bryson DeChambeau and Kyle Berkshire put on an absolute nuke show at a Drive Shack appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It is fair to say that the second LIV Golf season already stands the test of time and will live long in the memory. 

The embryonic tour took the bold step of expanding from seven events in its first season in 2022 — doubling to 14 showdowns, with a colossal $320 million on offer to the 48 contestants before we even think about the bonus money pocketed by Talor Gooch, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka. 

The memories are already in the locker, but let’s take a look back at some of the pivotal moments in an amazing season.

Howell’s fast start
Charles Howell III made Mexico his home from home as he romped to the inaugural LIV Golf League crown. Mayakoba was the venue, the American only shot two holes over par, and an eight-under 63 on Sunday saw him over the line.

Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf

Brooks is back
Brooks Koepka showed he was back to his best — well before his fifth major in the PGA Championship — at the Orlando LIV event in early April as he began a landmark season in style with his second LIV crown. 

Gooch gets going
Another dawn began in Adelaide as Talor Gooch proved his former 4 Aces captain, Dustin Johnson, wrong, and vindicated his switch to Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats line-up with a convincing victory in Oz. The event also saw another Smash man, Chase Koepka, make a piece of history as he aced the ‘Watering Hole’ and was showered in beer cans for his troubles.

Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf

Back to back
Gooch showed he was no flash in the pan, going back-to-back with another win in Singapore, before DJ bit back with his own victory in Tulsa.

Going on
By the time July rolled around, Gooch had victory No. 3 and was way ahead in the points standings. Harold Varner III had registered the win in Washington DC, but Gooch proved he is the best American on the road, with the Andalucia trophy under his belt. 

Cam time
The 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith was not going to let Gooch get everything his own way and a win in London at Centurion made things interesting as the Aussie found his stride.

Four horses
Now it was getting to business time and there were four men looking to grab the Individual title — we had Gooch, Smith and Koepka, so who else would make the grade? We arrived at Greenbrier and Bryson DeChambeau stepped up in remarkable fashion, shooting a final-day insane 58 in the rain (he even had a bogey in there) to produce one of the most iconic moments of the year, leaping like a kid as history was made. 

Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf

Cam bounces back
Smith would not go quietly and launched himself to the top of the standings with a solid win at Bedminster, for the first time making Gooch look worried, with an $18 million bonus cheque on the line.

Bryson’s boom
Chicago was the next stop and DeChambeau proved why he was a serious contender for the Ryder Cup (he did not get selected) as he convincingly bagged LIV Golf win No. 2

The final showdown
Jeddah was a match made in heaven, as Gooch and Koepka slogged it out over 54 holes. DeChambeau (fourth) and Smith (second) faded in the Individual Championship as the weekend went on and Brooks took the weekend title on the second extra hole and secured third overall. Gooch was still smiling however as he took the Individual Championship title, with the bonus money going to his foundation to help bring on the next batch of stars.

Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

For Sunday’s Finals, all 48 players among the 12 teams competed in one round of stroke play, with all four players’ scores counting toward their team’s score. The four semifinal winners competed for places 1-4, with the teams defeated in the semifinals competing for places 5-8. The teams defeated in Friday’s quarterfinals competed for places 9-12. Of the prize money earned by each team, 60% goes to the team, with 10% going to each of the four participating players.

TIER 1

1. CRUSHERS (-11). Anirban Lahiri 65, Bryson DeChambeau 67, Charles Howell III 72, Paul Casey 73.
Prize money: $14,000,000

2. RANGEGOATS (-9). Bubba Watson 67, Talor Gooch 70, Thomas Pieters 70, Harold Varner III 72.
Prize money: $8,000,000

3. TORQUE (-6). Joaquin Niemann 66, David Puig 71, Sebastián Muñoz 72, Mito Pereira 73.
Prize money: $6,000,000

4. 4ACES (E). Peter Uihlein 69, Patrick Reed 71, Pat Perez 73, Dustin Johnson 75.
Prize money: $4,000,000

TIER 2

5. STINGER (-7). Dean Burmester 67, Branden Grace 67, Charl Schwartzel 73, Louis Oosthuizen 74.
Prize money: $3,250,000

6. FIREBALLS (-4). Carlos Ortiz 64, Eugenio Chacarra 73, Sergio Garcia 73, Abraham Ancer 74.
Prize money: $3,000,000

7. CLEEKS (+4). Martin Kaymer 72, Bernd Wiesberger 72, Richard Bland 74, Graeme McDowell 74.
Prize money: $2,750,000

8. HYFLYERS (+5). Cameron Tringale 70, Brendan Steele 71, Phil Mickelson 72, James Piot 80.
Prize money: $2,500,000

TIER 3

9. RIPPER (-5). Matt Jones 66, Jediah Morgan 71, Marc Leishman 73, Cameron Smith 73.
Prize money: $2,000,000

10. SMASH (E). Jason Kokrak 69, Brooks Koepka 70, Matthew Wolff 72, Chase Koepka 77.
Prize money: $1,750,000

11. MAJESTICKS (+4). Henrik Stenson 69, Ian Poulter 72, Lee Westwood 74, Sam Horsfield 77.
Prize money: $1,500,000

12. IRON HEADS (+5). Scott Vincent 70, Danny Lee 71, Kevin Na 73, Sihwan Kim 79.
Prize money: $1,250,000

Images: Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf

The post The expanded 14-event LIV Golf League season will certainly live long in the memory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 2020 US Open champion is the headlining name in a group planning to launch UnderPar Life, which is billed as a competitor to Topgolf. According to D Magazine, the company’s first location will be at Hawks Creek Golf Course, a municipal course just outside of Fort Worth.

“Expense is a barrier to most things in life,” Dechambeau told D Magazine. “It is an unusually high barrier to experience the joy of golf. UnderPar Life at Hawks Creek is the first of many locations designed to redefine access to golf by reducing cost barriers. Our initiatives are geared toward making golf more affordable, approachable, and enjoyable for everyone. Our approach, partnering with municipally owned golf courses, removes significant financial obstacles and allows us to grow the community of golfers.”

The two-storey, 16,000-square-foot venue is expected to have 42 hitting bays in addition to a short game practice area. There will also be a fitness area, a golf academy, three bars, and a kitchen led by celebrity chef Christian Lehrmann. Here’s a look at more renderings of the project:

?BREAKING: LIV Golf champion Bryson DeChambeau is part of a DFW team launching Topgolf competitor UnderPar Life. Their first venue will break ground on Hawks Creek Golf Course in the coming months.

My story: https://t.co/0XvJcIrsxg

Flyover: pic.twitter.com/CzBxBs2fDz

— Ben Swanger (@Rbi_Ben) October 23, 2023

“UnderPar Life will be, hands down, the premier public-use golf practice facility in the state of Texas,” co-founder David Deering said. “And it could very well be the premier facility in the entire United States.”

Bryson DeChambeau is launching a Topgolf-style golf venue in Fort Worth, TX.

'UnderPar Life' will include:
• Two stories, 42 hitting bays
• 500-yd driving range
• Tour-level short game area
• Instructional academy
• Fitness center
• Three bars
• Celebrity chef-led kitchen pic.twitter.com/8sb6M3ii7F

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 26, 2023

Construction on the project is expected to break ground sometime before the end of the year, with the first UnderPar Life to be completed 12 to 18 months after that. But that’s just the beginning with investors planning to open 30 locations across the country.

“We think we will have regular customers who never hit a golf ball,” Deering added. “No one has ever said: ‘Hey let’s go to the Topgolf for lunch,’ but people will do that at UnderPar Life.”

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Fuelled by Anirban Lahiri’s spectacular bogey-free round, steady play by Charles Howell III and Paul Casey, and a riveting back-nine performance from their captain DeChambeau, Crushers won the all-scores-count shootout by two shots over RangeGoats. Torque finished third, while defending champions 4 Aces settled for fourth.

Last year, the Crushers did not reach the Team Championship final, as they were knocked out in the match-play semi-finals. But the team started the new season with a bang, winning in Mayakoba on the strength of Howell’s individual victory.

DeChambeau found his form in mid-season and won two individual titles, with the Crushers winning again in Chicago. They completed the journey to the top at Trump National Doral, shooting a combined 11-under.

“Last year really left a sour taste in our mouth,” DeChambeau said as he celebrated with his teammates on the 18th green of the iconic Blue Monster course. “I can’t be happier with this team of mine. I don’t know what else to say. I’m at a loss of words right now. These guys are the best.”

Lahiri was the team’s top performer on Sunday, shooting a seven-under 65 that included consecutive hole-outs at the par-4 seventh (for birdie) and par-5 eighth (for eagle). It was a terrific effort for a player who had come so close to winning an individual title in 2023 with two runner-up finishes and another podium result.

“I had a couple of Sundays where I let myself down,” Lahiri said. “But I wasn’t going to let the team down today.”

DeChambeau was three-under at the turn, then birdied the 10th and 11th holes before suffering his first bogey at the 12th to start his roller-coaster back-nine. He then birdied the 13th from 36 feet, bogeyed the 14th, then birdied the 15th from 35 feet. But the most dramatic moment came at the drivable par-4 16th, with the Crushers’ lead reduced to one stroke. DeChambeau’s tee shot hit the top of the Birdie Shack grandstand behind the green and finished on the front edge of the second green.

Facing a blind shot from 109 yards, DeChambeau hit a wedge back over the grandstand and on to the 16th green, then made the birdie putt to increase the Crushers’ lead to two.

“My drop zone, I was going to drop in a sidehill lie out of the rough over palm trees. It was just not feasible,” DeChambeau explained. “I got a perfect lie in front of the green on 2. I was like, it’s a 109-shot, whatever, let’s go. And hit it to 20 feet and made an incredible putt.”

Moments later, Casey followed with a clutch six-foot par putt on his final hole while the RangeGoats’ Thomas Pieters missed his from similar distance.

When the RangeGoats’ 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch bogeyed the 18th after finding the water with his tee shot, the Crushers had enough cushion to absorb DeChambeau’s bogey and RangeGoats captain Bubba Watson’s birdie on the 18th.

DeChambeau finished with a five-under 67, while Howell shot even-par 72 and Casey a 73.

Bryson DeChambeau. LIV Golf

“I thought this year would be special,” said Howell. “We started off with a win. Obviously, Baan [Lahiri] and Bryson have played phenomenal golf here recently.”

Although the RangeGoats came up short, Watson — who shot a bogey-free 67 — was proud of his team’s effort.

“The RangeGoats came out of nowhere,” Watson said. “We played great. We’ve got to improve a little bit. But gosh, finished second for the year. What a great place.”

As for DeChambeau, winning the Team Championship helps to make up for the disappointment in the regular-season finale in Jeddah when he came up short of capturing the Individual Champion title.

“Any time you get a win with a team, I’d say honestly that’s more important than individual stuff,” DeChambeau said. “Look, majors are great but there’s a team behind you there. I’ve got a team, my own team.

“But having the Crushers be front and centre of the first inaugural full season just means the world. We are part of history, and I couldn’t be more proud of these guys and definitely takes the sting out of last week. But the team is what it’s all about, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

For Sunday’s Finals, all 48 players among the 12 teams competed in one round of stroke play, with all four players’ scores counting toward their team’s score. The four semifinal winners competed for places 1-4, with the teams defeated in the semifinals competing for places 5-8. The teams defeated in Friday’s quarterfinals competed for places 9-12. Of the prize money earned by each team, 60% goes to the team, with 10% going to each of the four participating players.

TIER 1

1. CRUSHERS (-11). Anirban Lahiri 65, Bryson DeChambeau 67, Charles Howell III 72, Paul Casey 73. Prize money: $14,000,000

2. RANGEGOATS (-9). Bubba Watson 67, Talor Gooch 70, Thomas Pieters 70, Harold Varner III 72. Prize money: $8,000,000

3. TORQUE (-6). Joaquin Niemann 66, David Puig 71, Sebastián Muñoz 72, Mito Pereira 73. Prize money: $6,000,000

4. 4ACES (E). Peter Uihlein 69, Patrick Reed 71, Pat Perez 73, Dustin Johnson 75. Prize money: $4,000,000

TIER 2

5. STINGER (-7). Dean Burmester 67, Branden Grace 67, Charl Schwartzel 73, Louis Oosthuizen 74. Prize money: $3,250,000

6. FIREBALLS (-4). Carlos Ortiz 64, Eugenio Chacarra 73, Sergio Garcia 73, Abraham Ancer 74. Prize money: $3,000,000

7. CLEEKS (+4). Martin Kaymer 72, Bernd Wiesberger 72, Richard Bland 74, Graeme McDowell 74. Prize money: $2,750,000

8. HYFLYERS (+5). Cameron Tringale 70, Brendan Steele 71, Phil Mickelson 72, James Piot 80. Prize money: $2,500,000

TIER 3

9. RIPPER (-5). Matt Jones 66, Jediah Morgan 71, Marc Leishman 73, Cameron Smith 73. Prize money: $2,000,000

10. SMASH (E). Jason Kokrak 69, Brooks Koepka 70, Matthew Wolff 72, Chase Koepka 77. Prize money: $1,750,000

11. MAJESTICKS (+4). Henrik Stenson 69, Ian Poulter 72, Lee Westwood 74, Sam Horsfield 77. Prize money: $1,500,000

12. IRON HEADS (+5). Scott Vincent 70, Danny Lee 71, Kevin Na 73, Sihwan Kim 79. Prize money: $1,250,000

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If he plays well on Sunday and everything falls his way, the RangeGoats star will earn a memorable season-long title, as well as the $18 million bonus. The final round at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club will complete the regular-season competition for the crown.

“I think everyone knows what’s on the line, and that’s going to build the intensity of it,” Gooch said. “It’s such an incredible opportunity, so you’ve just got to take it in stride and just embrace it. I knew it was going to come down to Sunday.”

Starting the tournament in second place in the overall standings behind Ripper captain Cameron Smith, Gooch is now projected into the top spot after his 64 on Saturday moved him into a four-way tie for ninth on the tournament leaderboard at six-under, six shots behind tournament leader Brooks Koepka.

The Individual Championship as it stands, heading into the Final Round ?

Will @TalorGooch take the W? ?#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/tqWUknwIzq

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) October 15, 2023

Smith is at two-under after his 68 and is tied for 25th, which earns no points and would drop him to No. 2 in the Individual standings.

The other player with Individual Champion aspirations is Crushers captain Bryson DeChambeau, who made a big charge on Saturday with a seven-under 63 that leaves him at eight-under and tied for fourth. DeChambeau needs to finish in the top three to have any chance at the title, but his fate also depends on how Smith and Gooch finish.

“All I’m focused on tomorrow is winning this tournament, and the rest will take care of itself,” DeChambeau said. “The job is not even close to being done. We’ve got 18 more holes.”

Winning the tournament will be a challenge if Koepka continues his impressive play at Royal Greens.

The Smash captain won here last year after opening with a 62. He matched that score on Saturday, shooting a bogey-free eight-under round in which he opened with six birdies in his first eight holes.

At 12-under for the tournament, he leads Fireballs Captain Sergio Garcia and the Crushers’ Charles Howell III by three strokes, with DeChambeau and Scott Vincent — who also shot 62 on Saturday — another stroke back.

Koepka started the tournament too far back in points to challenge for the Individual title, but he does have an opportunity to finish third in the standings and claim a $4 million bonus. He must repeat as tournament champion and hope DeChambeau finishes no better than 14th.

“Just keep doing what I’m doing,” Koepka said. “Seems to be working since I’m at the top.”

Vincent, a member of Iron Heads, also has a huge opportunity on Sunday. He started the week outside the Lock Zone — the top 24 in points who earn guaranteed spots in next year’s LIV Golf League. But his second-round 62 now projects him into 24th in the standings.

“Tomorrow’s a big day,” Vincent said. “You can’t hide from that.”

Meanwhile, team seeds will also be determined, with the top four seeds receiving quarter-final byes for next week’s Team Championship in Miami.

RangeGoats are projected to move ahead of Stinger for the final bye, while DeChambeau’s Crushers are 22-under and have a three-stroke lead on the tournament leaderboard, projecting them to the No. 1 seed ahead of 4 Aces.

“Definitely want to win the team championship and be first in the points list going to Miami,” said DeChambeau, whose Crushers have won twice this year, including the previous LIV Golf event in Chicago. “We’re that good of a team, and my boys have worked really hard this year. If we play well tomorrow, we definitely deserve to be up in that No. 1 spot.”

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One of the three will be crowned 2023 LIV Golf League Individual Champion on Sunday at LIV Golf Jeddah.

The season-long title comes with a substantial bonus: $18 million. And a place in history — as LIV Golf’s first full-season winner.

“Being the first one ever for a full season would be kind of cool,” Smith said. “This only happens once.”

Dustin Johnson was the Individual Champion for the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational beta-test year in 2022. He was a dominant force during the abbreviated seven-tournament regular season, arriving at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club having already clinched the title.

That’s not the case this time.

Through the first 12 events of 2023, Smith, the Ripper captain, tops the standings with 170 points, having won twice this season. Gooch, the RangeGoats star with three wins in 2023, is his closest pursuer with 162 points.

DeChambeau, the Crushers captain, has won two of the last three LIV Golf tournaments after a slow start to vault into third place with 146 points.

With 40 points for a tournament victory, 30 points for second, and only the top 24 on the leaderboard (after tiebreakers) offering points, there are multiple scenarios for each player to emerge as champion — about a dozen each for Smith and Gooch, three for DeChambeau.

The maths can be a bit dizzying — except, perhaps, for DeChambeau, aka The Scientist ­— but there is one relatively easy way to guarantee the best possible outcome:
Win the tournament.

“The only scenario that I have control of is if I go and win,” Gooch said. “That takes care of everything.”

Added Smith: “For sure there’s a little bit more up for grabs this week.”

In addition to the first-place bonus, the season-long race also awards bonuses to the second- and third-place finishers. No matter how Smith and Gooch fare this week, they are guaranteed at least one of the top 3 bonus spots.

DeChambeau, however, does not have that fallback position. While he must finish on the podium in Jeddah to have any shot at winning the Individual title, there are five other players who enter this week with a mathematical chance of overtaking DeChambeau for third place in the season race.

That doesn’t seem likely to happen, given DeChambeau’s form at the moment.

He shot 61-58 on the weekend to win his first LIV Golf tournament in Greenbrier in early August, then rallied with a 63 in the final round in Chicago last month to overtake Crushers teammate Anirban Lahiri for his second win. He credits the new Krank Golf driver that he put in his bag with turning around his season. “That’s really ultimately what did it,” he said.

Now he seems unbeatable.

Still, he faces the challenge of needing to play aggressively to catch Smith and Gooch while also trying to protect his bonus-paying position. How will he balance the two approaches?

“It’s just a focus on winning,” DeChambeau said. “That’s all it is. I don’t know what else to say. If you try to think, oh, I’ve got to save my spot, you’re not in the right mindset. You shouldn’t be there.”

Seeing major winners Smith and DeChambeau in contention for the Individual title should surprise no one. If you’ve followed Gooch’s path as a LIV golfer, you shouldn’t be surprised he’s in the mix, either.

A year ago, while playing for 4Aces, Gooch started the season with four consecutive top-10 finishes and was a key cog in the team’s domination of the team race.

Jumping to Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats for 2023, he eventually began turning opportunities into victories. The breakthrough statement came with consecutive 10-under 62s en route to winning in Adelaide.

“It’s been a culmination of years of hard work and patience,” Gooch said. “I played really well last year, and I couldn’t close out some tournaments. Some of that experience of failing last year I think kind of set me up to succeed for this year when I was in those same positions.”

Smith, who won last year in Chicago in just his second start after joining LIV Golf, entered the 2023 season with high expectations.

After a couple of disappointing non-points finishes, he was re-energised back home in Australia with a strong performance and was trending toward a win, which he achieved in London — and repeated two starts later in Bedminster.

“I was a bit rusty,” Smith said about his 2023 start. “I spent a fair bit of time down in Australia, probably had a few too many pies. Golf really wasn’t the focus. Definitely in a much better spot than what it was in January.”

On Friday, with groupings arranged by position in the season-long standings, the trio of Smith, Gooch and DeChambeau will tee off on No. 1 to start the opening round.

Of course, the ideal scenario — at least for golf fans — would be to see them together again late Sunday afternoon, duelling for a tournament title, a team title, and, of course, the Individual Champion crown.

TEE TIMES

Main image: Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Talor Gooch. LIV Golf

TALE OF THE TAPE

Breaking down the 2023 LIV Golf League season for the three contenders of the Individual Champion title

LIV Golf

The post What the three LIV Golf title contenders need to do in Jeddah this week to take the crown, plus all Friday’s first-round pairings appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Cam Smith leads the way on 170 points but has Talor Gooch breathing down his neck on 162. The third player still in with a chance of claiming the $18 million bonus that comes with the crown is Bryson DeChambeau — that big-hitting American who has rediscovered his mojo.

The Californian has now won twice this season and shot a stunning 58 at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.

“I am very lucky to be here,” DeChambeau said at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Wednesday ahead of the Individual final event in Saudi Arabia. “It was a a lot of hard work. If you would have told me I’d be here even two months ago, I’d certainly have taken it. Very excited to be here, honoured, and it’s going to be a solid week, I think.”

Not that it will be a simple task reining in Smith and Gooch, as the pair have six LIV wins between them. And then there is that Saudi weather to contend with.

“A lot of heat,” added DeChambeau. “Got to take care of the caddies, take care of yourself, make sure you’ve got enough in you, and it’s really about who can come out here and perform the best under the most extreme heat they’ve probably played in, and if you can do that, you’ll be fine.

“But you have to respect the field. This field is incredibly talented. You have 48 of the best players in the world, and man, it’s always a grind out here. I think that’s a testament to how good these guys have played and how consistent they’ve played throughout the year. It shows how good they are. Three wins, two wins, all the top 10s he’s had, I didn’t get off to that great of a start, but kept picking away at it, and surely we’re here now with a chance to claim that title, which is great, but it’s going to be tough to get to these guys.

“Sure, I’m playing well, but again, you’ve got to be set up for success each and every week, and heat is a big factor. This golf course sets up really nice for me, but you can still wedge your way around it out here and make some nice putts, and that changes things.

“You’ve always got to be careful and just work as hard as you possibly can because these guys are incredibly good out here.”

Ahead of the Team Championships in Miami next week, DeChambeau’s Crushers are currently second in the standings. And he is ready to go one better.

“That would mean the world,” he said. “That’s what we’ve all fought for. I’m excited for the team come Miami. We lost to the Stingers, and it was a big sting — no pun intended or pun intended I guess — but we want to change that narrative this next week.

With the Individual title comes that $18 million bonus. And it is something DeChambeau would put to good use.

“My goal in the game of golf is to grow the game of golf as much as I can,” he said. “There’s 100 million golfers right now. I think that should be a lot more moving forward.

“One of the initiatives that I have is building some junior academies across the country, and we’ve got a few that are in the works. Should be operational next year.

“We had to do some things, so it’s not going to be functional by the end of this year, but next year we’ll have it. That’s going to be pretty special to see children’s lives changed because of it.

“Having kids under the age of 12 be able to play golf and hit golf balls for free, that’s something that is not really known nowadays. There was the First Tee programme when I was growing up and it was $5 for a round of golf and it was amazing to have that, but getting to a place where these kids have access, more kids have access to the game of golf is something that would change people’s lives forever, and that’s where that’s going to go.”

Main image: LIV Golf

The post DeChambeau has his eyes on the LIV Golf prize in Saudi — for a good cause appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The nicknames are a caddie thing … and for the purposes of this story, not particularly relevant.

Anyway, Casey and the Rev were on the course during Sunday’s final round at Rich Harvest Farms when they took note of the leaderboard. Casey’s captain on the Crushers team, Bryson DeChambeau, was making a move. A big one.

And when the Bryson train gets rolling, it’s one of the most impressive sights in professional golf.

“We saw his name pop up there, and we’re like: ‘Uh-oh, here he goes,’” Casey said. “Here we go, we’ve got another hot Bryson.”

Eight strokes down entering the round, Hot Bryson produced an eight-under 63 to capture his second individual LIV Golf title in his last three starts. The previous one last month at LIV Golf Greenbrier came with a 61-58 finish on the weekend, in case you’ve forgotten.

It’s a much-welcomed return to form — for Bryson, his Crushers team, LIV Golf and the sport in general — for a player who, when he’s on, can reach levels and gears few others can match.

The victory gives DeChambeau a shot at the season-long Individual Champion title in the regular-season finale at LIV Golf Jeddah on October 13-15. He’s third in points and must find a way to get past No. 1 Cameron Smith and No. 2 Talor Gooch.

It didn’t seem thinkable a few months ago that DeChambeau would be one of the three players left standing. He started the LIV Golf season slowly — no top-15 finishes in his first five starts — and missed the cut at the Masters (Augusta National has rarely been kind to him).

But things started to click at LIV Golf Tulsa in May, his second-round 63 fuelling a tie for fifth. He rode that momentum into the PGA Championship, grabbing the first-round lead with a 66 and finishing tied for fourth behind fellow LIV Golf captain Brooks Koepka.

He nearly won in early July at Valderrama, shooting a second-round 63 to take the lead before succumbing to the equally hot hand of Gooch, who had to birdie his final two holes to avoid a playoff.

Bryson DeChambeau. LIV Golf

Then the week of Greenbrier, DeChambeau stuck a Krank Golf driver in his bag, increased his accuracy and confidence off the tee, produced 22 birdies in his last two rounds and has been practically unstoppable from tee to green ever since. An uncooperative putter might be his only Kryptonite, as it was in Bedminster when he tied for 18th.

Asked how this stretch compares to other hot stretches in his career, DeChambeau replied: “I think it’s probably some of the best for sure. There’s always stuff you can improve on, but consistently some of the best. Bedminster, I was still driving it really well. Three-putted seven times … I would have been in second place had I not three-putted. I cleaned that up this week and hit it pretty well.”

Added Casey: “It’s some of the best golf I’ve seen him ever play,”

“No doubt,” fellow Crusher Anirban Lahiri confirmed.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen this much of Hot Bryson.

In 2018, he won four times and climbed inside the world’s top five for the first time. Then in 2020, he won the US Open at Winged Foot, essentially overpowering the course. He followed with another win later that year, as well as one in 2021.

But then Hot Bryson began to play more like Hulk Bryson, with his focus directed toward exacting every possible inch of distance by packing on muscle.

Meanwhile, other issues began to impact his game. Injuries to his hand and hip. A case of vertigo that wasn’t adequately addressed until late last year. The passing of his father last off-season. The continual search to find his place in the game and finding a comfortable spotlight as he’s turning 30 (which he did two weeks ago). The move to reshape his body again — more tone, less muscle and weight.

Early in 2022, several months before joining LIV Golf, DeChambeau was asked why he no longer wore a Hoganesque driver cap, which had become part of his brand. “I feel like I’m turning a bit of a page in my life, in my chapter and my book,” he replied.

Life-changing adjustments often take a while to sort out. Cap switches are easy, but most transformations aren’t always quick and clean. It’s like the new house DeChambeau is building in Dallas. The completion date constantly shifts.

“We’ve seen it coming,” Casey said. “This is no different than watching things trend. He’s a buy. You’ve got to back this horse.

“Honestly, Bryson is just scratching the surface. There’s been a lot of … things that he’s worked on, and I guess obstacles — things like greens books, certain rule changes, things like that, equipment, the long drive thing, there’s all sorts of stuff. Building a house. There’s a whole bunch of stuff that people know that we know. Your house will never be ready. He’s figuring all these things out and he’s just ticking them off. the more he figures out, the less of those questions, the greater he is.

“I don’t want to blow smoke, but he’s got an unbelievable level of ability. It’s not talent because there’s talent, but then it’s hard work and the thought process and everything behind it. We’re just along for the ride, the three of us. We’re just tagging along. But it’s great to be part of that and help in a certain way because we benefit from it, as well.

“This is a level that we’ve seen before, but I think there’s more to come.”

Still, the dynamics of winning a LIV Golf tournament are different than regular pro events, given the team component.

On Sunday, DeChambeau came out nowhere to overtake Lahiri, who was seeking to end an eight-year victory drought. Alas, Lahiri’s gritty effort ended with three-putt bogeys on two of his last four holes — including his final hole, the 18th — to open the door.

In the immediate aftermath, it was a strange mix of emotions for DeChambeau, who was happy for his own success and his team’s but felt sad for his teammate. He said he’d rather have gone to a playoff. Lahiri, for his part, considered it another step in the process toward his next win. Their mutual respect was evident in their post-round thoughts.

“I love you, Baan, but I’m sorry,” said DeChambeau, turning to his teammate during their post-round press conference. “I felt so bad.”

“No, no. We’re all trying to win,” replied Lahiri.

DeChambeau has won twice now in his last three starts, and the train doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. Hot Bryson is back. Enjoy the ride.

The post Bryson is back — and ‘there’s more to come’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ripper captain Cameron Smith, RangeGoats star Talor Gooch and Crushers skipper Bryson DeChambeau are the only golfers with a mathematical chance of claiming the title, which will be decided in Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on October 13-15.

Those three players have combined to win seven of the first 12 regular-season tournaments and are the only ones with multiple victories this season. Gooch has three wins, while Smith and DeChambeau have each won two of the last four tournaments.

Smith tops the Individual standings with 170 points, while Gooch is at 162 points and DeChambeau at 146 points following his victory on Sunday at LIV Golf Chicago.

Smith led by 21 points entering Rich Harvest Farms but failed to finish inside the top 24 that receives points. Gooch finished seventh in points in Chicago, allowing him to close the gap. DeChambeau moved from seventh to third in the standings with the win.

LIV Golf

Smith, of course, can clinch the title by winning in Jeddah. Gooch would also clinch the title with a victory, even if Smith finishes second. In that scenario, both players would have the same number of points (202), but Gooch would win the tiebreaker due to more tournament wins this year.

If DeChambeau wins in Jeddah, he would win the title provided Smith finishes no better than fifth or Gooch finishes no better than third.

If DeChambeau wins and Smith finishes fifth, they would both have 186 points. DeChambeau would win the tiebreaker due to more victories.

If DeChambeau wins and Gooch finishes third, they would both have 186 points. Although each would have three wins at that point, DeChambeau would claim the tiebreaker due to his next best finish, a second in Andalucia.

4 Aces’s Patrick Reed, currently fourth in points with 121, can finish no better than third in the standings should he win in Jeddah.

Reed, Smash captain Brooks Koepka, Stinger’s Branden Grace, 4 Aces Captain Dustin Johnson and Torque’s Mito Pereira each have a mathematical chance to claim the third place, which is the last bonus-paying position.

Johnson won the Individual Champion title last season in LIV Golf’s debut, while Grace finished second.

Main image: Cameron Smith, Talor Gooch and Bryson DeChambeau. LIV Golf

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After winning his second event in three starts on Sunday at the LIV Golf Chicago tournament, DeChambeau was asked about how well he is playing and his level of disappointment in missing the 44th Ryder Cup that begins Friday at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

“Yeah, definitely, I am playing better than Winged Foot,” said DeChambeau, who won the 2020 US Open on Winged Foot’s West Course. “If you look at it, it would have been nice to at least just have a call. There’s numerous people that I think Zach should have called out here, and we didn’t get that. I understand, I get it, but we’re nothing different. We’re still competing. We’re still working super hard to be the best we possibly can be.”

DeChambeau, who turned 30 eight days ago, was a member of the US Ryder Cup team that pummelled Europe, 19-9, at Whistling Straits. He went 2-0-1 and beat Sergio Garcia in singles, 3&2, after driving the green and making eagle at the par-4 first hole on the Straits Course. He does, however, have a losing record in his Ryder Cup career after going 0-3-0 during America’s loss to Europe in Paris in 2018.

Still, he felt that he, and a few others who play in the LIV Golf League — Dustin Johnson, who went 5-0 in Wisconsin, being the most obvious omission — should have gotten a bit more consideration.

“I can answer all of those in a very simple manner,” Zach Johnson said on Monday during the first captains’ press conference with European counterpart Luke Donald. “We have a points system within the PGA of America, within the Ryder Cup USA. It’s pretty evident how you garner points and which tournaments can accumulate points. I basically, you know, I kept at one point … my own probably top 30, but when it got down towards the end of the process, it was the top 20, the top 25 guys in that point system that I felt like had the merit and certainly, well, should have my full attention. That’s where I was. I was basically in the top 20, top 25 guys in points when it came down to formulating this Team USA.”

Because he joined the LIV Golf League, DeChambeau was not eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and collected points in the US team standings in just four events — the four major championships. His best efforts were T-4 at the PGA Championship and T-20 at the US Open. Dustin Johnson, by the way, was 40th on the points list.

The LIV player who did get Johnson’s attention, of course, was Brooks Koepka, who won the PGA Championship and was runner-up at the Masters. The five-time major winner, who went 2-2 at Whistling Straits, was inside the top six in the standings and in line to receive an automatic spot until the last week of qualifying at the BMW Championship. Johnson, nevertheless, made Koepka, seventh in the US standings, a captain’s pick.

“Brooks is obviously going to kill it for Team USA next week and excited for the team,” said DeChambeau, whose long-time running feud with Koepka has mostly subsided while they compete on the LIV tour. “But, yeah, it definitely does sting a little bit [to miss the Ryder Cup.] I personally think that given the way I played this week, I could have definitely racked up some points for Team USA. But that’s neither here nor there. As time has gone on, hopefully I’ll be in line for it in a couple years.”

Whether LIV golfers from either side eventually are welcomed back into the fold is a burning question for the future. It could be a tough call.

Main image: Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau. Ben Jared

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