LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau was asked who he thinks is the greatest golfer of all time and has no problem giving his answer at the Happy Gilmore 2 premiere
13:47 ET, 31 Jul 2025Updated 13:47 ET, 31 Jul 2025
Bryson DeChambeau officially joined LIV Golf in June 2022(Image: Getty)
Bryson DeChambeau didn’t hesitate when asked to name his greatest golfer of all time at a premiere event for ‘Happy Gilmore 2,’ which saw several famous athletes and stars make cameo appearances.
While not exactly controversial, he was clear-cut about his pick for golf’s “GOAT” title. “I don’t think it’s hot, but I think Tiger [Woods] is the greatest golfer of all time,” DeChambeau declared, unfiltered.
That statement carries extra weight considering DeChambeau’s own turbulent career. The self‑styled “Mad Scientist” revolutionized his game, adding mass, power, and swing speed, only to face injuries, form spirals, and public scrutiny after joining LIV Golf, which is set to expand the league’s tournament purses to massive amounts for 2026.
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His triumphant comeback came at the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Opens, where he claimed both titles, proving that he could compete at the highest level despite adversity.
And yet, even as DeChambeau rebuilt himself into a two-time major champion and outspoken figure in modern golf, his respect for Woods remains undiminished.
“He’s my hero still,” DeChambeau has said, crediting Tiger with teaching him about putting, shot shaping, and reading the course.
Tiger’s own record speaks volumes. With 82 PGA Tour wins (tied with Sam Snead) and 15 major titles, including a “Tiger Slam” when he won four consecutive majors in 2000–2001, Woods reset every standard.
He set records for scoring average, consecutive cuts made (142), and world number one weeks, stretching his dominance from 1999 into 2013.
DeChambeau expanded on his admiration for Woods’ impact even after Woods openly criticized LIV Golf.
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Ahead of the 2022 British Open, Woods said, “What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice? What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You’re just getting paid a lot of money up front and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They’re playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different.”
Despite their differences in tour alignment, DeChambeau previously affirmed: “I have ultimate respect for what he has to say… I have the utmost respect for what he did for the game of golf, what he did for the PGA Tour that allowed us to have this opportunity.”
DeChambeau said he wasn’t surprised by Woods’ comments because “it’s his legacy. I totally understand it. He’s what’s allowed this to happen in a really, cool unique way that in the end, I think will all work out to everyone’s benefit. It’s just a little bit of muddy waters right now.’’
DeChambeau’s journey may have taken him down a different path than Woods, but his reverence for the game, and for the icons who shaped it, remains intact.
