Every Ryder Cup leaves behind lasting memories, no matter who wins. And for Bryson DeChambeau, that memory came with none other than the GOAT himself, Tiger Woods.
The two-time US Open winner, who will make his third Ryder Cup appearance this year, made his debut in 2018.
US golfer Tiger Woods (R) reacts with US golfer Bryson DeChambeau after Europe won the 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National Course at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, south-west of Paris, on September 30, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK…
US golfer Tiger Woods (R) reacts with US golfer Bryson DeChambeau after Europe won the 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National Course at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, south-west of Paris, on September 30, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
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That week, DeChambeau was paired with the 15-time major champion in one of the most intense environments imaginable.
“My first one, Tiger (Woods) telling me to hit the first tee shot at Le Golf National,” DeChambeau explained in an interview with the Ryder Cup team. “I didn’t know what to do or think,” he continued. “I was very much thrown in the fire.
“Playing with Tiger was nerve-racking for me. He’s an intimidating guy and I love the guy and think he’s amazing, but it was wild to see how everybody reacted and treated us, obviously being overseas. That was my — my biggest memory was playing with Tiger on the first tee.”
That match didn’t go Team USA’s way. DeChambeau and Woods lost their foursomes match 5 and 4 to Europe’s Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.
It was part of a tough debut for Bryson, who went 0-3-0 that week, also losing alongside Phil Mickelson and in singles against Alex Noren.
But the memories weren’t all bruises.
DeChambeau also shared a hilarious moment with Phil Mickelson
“(Mickelson) wasn’t playing that great then he goes, ‘Bryson, I just need a pep talk right now. You need to give me a pep talk,'” Bryson laughed as he recalled during the same conversation.
“As a veteran, the second most winning golfer in our era, for me to give him a pep talk down the third fairway, I was like, ‘This is so wrong. The roles have been reversed. What’s going on?’ That was nuts,” he added during the interview posted on the Ryder Cup’s YouTube channel.
That wasn’t it, Bryson also recalled a similar moment from the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, where he fired a 340-yard drive that reached the front edge of the green on a par-4.
“When I hit that shot and rose the putter up I was like, ‘This is it. This is what golf’s all about,'” he stated during the interview.
DeChambeau’s Ryder Cup record stands at 2-3-1. After a rough start in 2018, he bounced back in 2021, going undefeated and delivering a win over Sergio Garcia.
The ‘Break-50’ guy was recently also praised by Captain Keegan Bradley for showing up at the Procore Championship last week to support the squad.
While Scottie Scheffler took the win, the LIV golfers’ presence was a bold statement screaming how dedicated he is to winning this year.
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