Scottie Scheffler insists Bryson DeChambeau is a “great partner” as he hailed his potential to be a difference-maker for Team USA at the Ryder Cup.
DeChambeau returns to the lineup for his third Ryder Cup after sitting out the previous tournament in Rome, and he stands as the sole LIV Golf representative on the American squad. Critics labeled him a ‘captain’s nightmare’ this week, with doubts surfaced regarding his integration with teammates.
His distinctive approach to the game has sparked debate about his effectiveness as a playing companion while Keegan Bradley weighs how best to pair his dozen competitors.
However, World No. 1 Scheffler emphasized his conviction that teaming up with DeChambeau brings nothing but advantages. This followed Scheffler’s comments on how Donald Trump could boost USA’s chances in the competition.
“Yeah, I mean, I think Bryson is a tremendous competitor,” Scheffler said. “He’s a great partner as well.”
“I partnered with him in 2021 at Whistling Straits and he was a tremendous guy to be out to be golf course with. He’s a great guy and a good friend and he’s been great in our team room.
“Like I said, he brings a lot of energy, the people love him, and I think he loves the opportunity to be able to represent his country.
“He’s a multiple-time U.S. Open winner, and that means a lot to him. Being an American I think means a lot to him as well. I’m excited to kind of unleash him this week.”
DeChambeau received high praise from two-time major winner Xander Schauffele, who confessed to captain Bradley that he believes the LIV Golf star can play a significant role.
Schauffele shared: “Yeah, I was telling Keegan when this whole thing was starting that I felt like he could be — when you look at Ryder Cups and how they shake down, it’s like — it can kind of seem very different or distant at times when you win or lose one.
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“But I was telling Keegan, I feel like Bryson could be like the difference for us in a strange way from the standpoint of feeding into these fans, the style of golf he plays.
“And also how — like you’ll get me, I’ll make a putt, and you won’t see too much of a reaction. That’s just who I am. That’s kind of how I operate. Maybe it might change this week, who knows. These Ryder Cups bring out the best in you at times.
“But Bryson is like, this is his arena. If he views himself as a gladiator golfer, this is as good as it gets. He’s been awesome. He’s been awesome in the team room.
“I’m excited to sort of see what he can do, and hopefully get a lot of points up on the board because his points might hit harder than maybe my points, for example, just because of how he might celebrate and get these fans into this tournament quickly.”
