Bryson DeChambeau’s return to the Ryder Cup proved to be somewhat anticlimactic, with the LIV Golf star losing both of his matches on Friday at Bethpage.
European captain Luke Donald would have been delighted had he been told that his side would lead 5.5-2.5 after the opening day of the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Not only do the visitors have a three-point advantage, but they also ensured that both Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler ended the day without a point.
DeChambeau had been sent out in the opening match alongside Justin Thomas. And while they got off to a good start, they ended up losing to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in the foursomes.
Brandel Chamblee issues his verdict on Bryson DeChambeau’s opening day display at the Ryder Cup
Similarly, the 32-year-old and Ben Griffin led for some time in their four ball match with Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. But the contest turned around on the back nine, and Rose ended up making a birdie on the last to secure another point for Europe.
DeChambeau had been labelled a captain’s nightmare by Brandel Chamblee in the build-up to the Ryder Cup. So the pundit would be forgiven for feeling somewhat vindicated after his tough start.
And speaking on Golf Channel, Chamblee spoke about where it went wrong for the two-time US Open winner.
“In fairness to Bryson he did not get a lot of help from Justin Thomas but in the afternoon, and this is one of the weaknesses of Bryson DeChambeau – I said last night he was probably the best driver in the field and he did hit some incredible drives which lit the place up, especially at the first hole,” he said.
“But it’s his iron play that is a bit of a question and one of the reasons, is that you want your best iron play out there in foursomes, but in the afternoon in four balls when he did have irons in his hands he could not take advantage.
“Sending Bryson and Justin Thomas out there this morning, two of the most inaccurate drivers out there, they spent a lot of time in the rough and lost that match. And there at the last Bryson and Ben Griffin lost.
“It was not a great day for Bryson. It was a pretty decent day, but at the end of the day, he did not get a lot of help.”
Paul McGinley defends Brandel Chamblee over Bryson DeChambeau criticism
Chamblee is no stranger to having his comments divide opinion. He has certainly never been afraid to say what he thinks of LIV Golf. With that, there has been some backlash to his comments.
However, Paul McGinley has defended Chamblee’s comments about DeChambeau. Nevertheless, he did suggest that he would not be surprised to see it all click for the Crushers captain on the Ryder Cup stage at some point in the future.
“You got a lot of criticism for this at the start of the week Brandel, unfairly so in my view. Maybe you used the wrong word to say it,” he said.
“There is no doubt that he is a fantastic player. There is no doubt he brings a lot of energy to the team.
But he is a black sheep and he is different. When you have somebody like that, as creative and brilliant as he is, you have got to work so hard. It is not an easy fit into partnerships and also his personality, you have to make sure he does not say something in the media or say something that does not divert the attention of the team.
“You got criticism for that, and maybe you used the wrong word, but I know exactly where you are coming from.
“We have had that in Europe in the past. Nobody was more of a black sheep than Seve Ballesteros. This guy was banned from the European Tour. Tony Jacklin brought him back and brushed him down. He did not want anything to do with the European team again or the European Tour.
“Tony talked him down and got around him and then when he went and played his first couple of matches he was awful. But Tony moulded him and turned him into what he is in Seve Ballesteros.
“In terms of Bryson’s personality I think he has been managed very well this week, Keegan has done a great job and Bryson has been excellent in the media, there are no concerns there.
“But his game is so different. It’s not an easy fit. Tommy Fleetwood is an easy fit. And when you have a guy who is so brilliant as a golfer but somewhat eccentric as a golfer that’s not an easy fit. I think his passion is in the right place, I think his game is phenomenal and in time he will become a brilliant Ryder Cup player because it means so much to him.
“Going out today in the two big matches, it didn’t happen for him and Scottie Scheffler it did not happen for him. I said all along you win Ryder Cups on the performances of your top players and yours did not turn up today.”
What you can guarantee is that DeChambeau will be as desperate as anyone on the American team to turn the momentum around.
But clearly, getting the very best out of him is not proving to be straightforward for Keegan Bradley. And he is far from the first captain to have that issue.
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