Bryson DeChambeau was on a mission out of the gate Thursday, opening his first round at Masters with three consecutive birdies to prove he’s serious about contending at Augusta.
The 30-year-old might not be the best golfer near the top of the leaderboard — at least as long as Scottie Scheffler is in the mix — but he can make a strong case for the most compelling. DeChambeau isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and he’s found himself at the center of a few controversies in his career.
DeChambeau has improved his form over the last two years. As he’s re-emerged on the national stage, however, so have his squabbles. Here’s a closer look at his controversies through the years, including his beef with Brooks Koepka.
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Bryson DeChambeau controversy timeline
DeChambeau calls Augusta a ‘par 67’
Augusta National, the annual home of the Masters, is revered by golfers and fans alike. That’s why DeChambeau’s 2020 comments about the course came off as disrespectful to some observers.
DeChambeau referred to Augusta as a “par 67” for him, five strokes lower than its actual number, and indicated he could easily handle the course’s par-five holes.
As one might imagine, bragging about how easy it is to compete at the Masters didn’t lead to success for DeChambeau. He finished 46th in 2020 and missed the cut in both 2021 and 2022 as his game suffered across the board.
DeChambeau appeared to totally reverse those sentiments after the first round at this year’s Masters, as he finally delivered on his bold promises to coast through the course.
“I have a new level of respect for this golf course,” DeChambeau told reporters Thursday after posting a 65 in the first round on Thursday. He is yet to win a green jacket, but he’ll compete for one Sunday.
DeChambeau apologizes for saving his driver ‘sucks’
DeChambeau apologized at the 2021 Open Championship after saying his “driver sucks” while underperforming at the tournament.
“It’s not a good face for me, and we’re still trying to figure out how to make it good on the mis-hits,” DeChambeau told reporters.
DeChambeau was using a customized Cobra Radspeed driver at the time, and Cobra was less than thrilled to hear his comments.
“It’s just really, really painful when he says something that stupid,” Cobra tour operations manager Ben Schomin said at the time, suggesting that DeChambeau’s fast swing might be the issue.
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DeChambeau’s feud with Brooks Koepka
The well-publicized feud between DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka appeared to begin when DeChambeau took exception to comments Koepka made criticizing golfers who operate at a slow pace. While Koepka didn’t mention DeChambeau by name, he later said DeChambeau was one of the players he perceived as slow. DeChambeau even confronted Koepka’s caddie about the comments at one point.
Kopeka had a problem with DeChambeau confronting his caddie. DeChambeau supposedly told Koepka’s caddie that Koepka should address him directly if he has a problem, and Koepka later remarked that it was ironic DeChambeau didn’t approach him directly.
The dispute reached a fever pitch when Koepka visibly rolled his eyes when DeChambeau was walking behind him in 2021, and DeChambeau at one point criticized Koepka’s physique to add fuel to the fire.
By all accounts, the relationship between DeChambeau and Koepka seems to be just fine now. Both players are central figures in LIV Golf, perhaps forcing a bit of a bond between them with so much of the golf world opposed the league.
Sponsor drops DeChambeau after LIV Golf deal
DeChambeau certainly wasn’t the only player to receive backlash for joining LIV Golf, but he wasn’t spared from the outrage.
Rocket Mortgage dropped DeChambeau as an ambassador following the decision, calling itself a “long-time supporter of the PGA Tour.” LIV Golf’s ties to the Saudi Arabian government resulted in criticism for many notable names who signed with the league.
MORE: List of LIV Golf players competing at the Masters
DeChambeau sparks outrage with 9/11 comments
Much of the activism against LIV Golf was born out of concern about the Saudi government’s ties to terrorism and accusations that Saudi funding helped facilitate the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. When asked about his thoughts on the matter, DeChambeau’s response received considerable backlash.
“What I can say is they’re trying to do good for the world and showcase themselves in a light that hasn’t been seen in a while. Nobody’s perfect, but we’re all trying to improve in life,” DeChambeau said, calling for forgiveness.
Some golf fans felt DeChambeau was dramatically minimizing the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, and found his comments to be insensitive.
