With the Masters on the horizon, the end of a high-profile relationship has led to more questions around Bryson DeChambeau…
Bryson DeChambeau will forever be a compelling figure in elite golf.
Whether he’s walking the fairways with the US president or contending for major championships, DeChambeau is seldom far from the spotlight. And that’s exactly how he likes things.
At a recent LIV Golf season preview event in Florida, TG asked DeChambeau how he deals with the constant scrutiny of a new ‘Bryson story’ circling the internet almost every day.
“You create a more important, relevant story,” he smiled. “That’s ultimately what I focus on. So it’s not about changing narratives or anything, it’s just about continuing to have a massive impact.”
The latest fascinating DeChambeau tale concerns a surprise new equipment move. The burly Californian, famous for his unorthodox and entirely unique approach to his gear, has severed ties with his longtime equipment company LA Golf.
DeChambeau won both his US Open titles with LA Golf shafts in his clubs and has relied on the boutique brand to provide him with bespoke specifications to suit his outrageous swing speed. Last year, DeChambeau even began playing LA Golf iron heads with a distinctive bulge in a bid to gain extra forgiveness.
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But that relationship is now over, as revealed by LA Golf’s longtime owner and CEO Reed Dickens, in a wide-ranging interview with Golf.com’s Michael Bamberger. Dickens explained that DeChambeau had pitched through a new intermediary to become the majority owner of LA Golf. That proved to be the final straw.
“Bryson and I actually have some of the same tendencies, and I have nothing but respect for him,” Dickens told Bamberger. “But he has this new consultant, a McKinsey-consulting type guy, and this guy says to me that Bryson is gonna walk unless he gets 51 percent.
“Bryson’s got two percent of the company. And I think the guy doesn’t realize that he’s dealing with a redneck. And I say, ‘There’s no path for that.’ They played chicken with me, and now we’re going to graciously part ways.”
Dickens continued: “Bryson needs someone serving him 24 hours a day, he needs somebody to build him his own clubs, and that’s not scalable for us.”
DeChambeau’s exit as an ambassador is just one of wholesale changes being made by LA Golf, with Dickens explaining that the company wants to evolve into a direct-to-consumer business for golfers Stateside.
Meanwhile, Brett Falkoff, DeChambeau’s longtime agent, confirmed that DeChambeau “remains a customer” of LA Golf “and still has the shafts in his bag”.
But will that change before the Masters in April? Which equipment manufacturer will he align with next?
DeChambeau, as he always does, will keep everyone guessing.