PGA Tour Star Forced to Accept Cold Hard Bryson DeChambeau Truth Despite Bad Blood

As Russillo said on the podcast, “When everyone hated Bryson,  it did make it a little bit more interesting to have everybody collectively rooting against this guy that played the game in a way that just seemed engineered in a lab.” But now, that villain might just be turning into the unlikely fan favourite, and even Michael Kim’s.

“For whatever… however you feel about Bryson, he makes you feel something,” Kim began. “And that’s whether you love him or hate him.” Kim compared Bryson DeChambeau to the likes of Scottie Scheffler, who he stated is “just like a machine out there” with “no emotion on the golf course for the most part, just handles his business.” Bryson, on the other hand, is anything but robotic. 

“And Bryson, with the way he’s gone about it with the YouTube, going to LIV, like people are… people really feel something when he plays golf, and you know, for 99% of PGA Tour golfers or golfers, you know, that that’s that kind of emotion just doesn’t come out with a lot of the other golfers,” Kim continued.

His main point was, love him or not, Bryson DeChambeau makes golf less predictable, and that’s exactly what keeps people watching. Michael Kim’s comments were a surprising shift in his feelings toward the former “villain” of the sport, and it didn’t feel like it was the same Michael Kim who, back in May, couldn’t resist throwing a sarcastic remark at DeChambeau on social media.

During the first round of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Bryson DeChambeau, who had admitted to some early equipment issues, was struggling to gain traction. He had carded a 71 on the opening day, which was mediocre by his standards, given that he had won the U.S. Open just 11 months prior. And many were shocked at his distance control, with Jon Sherman posting on X — “Bryson’s distance control is shocking for a guy who works so hard on the range and has all the numbers dialled in. Legitimately perplexing.”

Still am perplexed. Drives it like a god and not cashing in. https://t.co/vnY0DoLr2I

— Jon Sherman (@practicalgolf) May 15, 2025

And Michael Kim couldn’t resist but chime in under that tweet — “Give him time till tomorrow. He’s not used to playing on Thursday.”  It was a playful remark, but a little sarcastic too, taking a jibe at LIV, too, in the process, that hosts only 3-day tournaments, unlike the PGA Tour. And Kim’s remark was very much in line with the general vibe of how PGA Tour players usually look at LIV players.

But going back on Kim’s words, DeChambeau’s persona, once viewed as over-engineered and overly dramatic, is now strangely magnetic. And it’s been evident with his appearance during the practice rounds of the Ryder Cup.

Bryson DeChambeau is a favourite at the Ryder Cup

Bryson DeChambeau may have once been labelled a “Captain’s Nightmare,” but if the scenes at Bethpage Black are anything to go by, he’s quickly becoming Team USA’s favourite player. Just days after Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee took a swipe at him on air, DeChambeau was greeted with a swarm of fans during the Ryder Cup practice rounds. Fans lined the barricades — and nearly toppled them — just to snag an autograph or glimpse of the long-hitting LIV Golf star.

Bryson DeChambeau could even be seen surrounded by a roaring crowd, calmly signing hats, flags, and shirts while security struggled to hold the barriers up. One fan shouted, “The man of the people!” — and honestly, it was hard to argue. But this Ryder Cup buzz isn’t just about fan frenzy. Even DeChambeau’s own teammates have been displaying their admiration towards him.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler praised him as both a fierce competitor and an electric presence in the team room. “He’s a great guy and a good friend… he brings a lot of energy, the people love him, and I think he loves the opportunity to represent his country,” Scheffler said. “I’m excited to kind of unleash him this week.” Xander Schauffele echoed the sentiment, calling the raucous New York crowd “his arena” and describing Bryson as a “gladiator golfer” built for the biggest stage. And even Russillo made it clear in his podcast — “The crowd is obviously going to be behind Bryson in a massive way against any European team.”

With the Ryder Cup returning to the grounds of Bethpage Black, where fan energy borders on chaotic, there may be no better fit for the spotlight than DeChambeau. Love him or hate him, he’s built for this — and this time, everyone seems to know it.