Why Bryson DeChambeau’s refusing to wear Rickie Fowler’s new ‘Slow Play’ polo

NEW PROVIDENCE, Bahamas — Puma has a knack for rolling out eye-catching looks around big events (who could forget Rickie Fowler’s untucked Hawaiian shirt from the Tournament of Champions in 2018?!), and it’s having fun with a new line of polos this week at the Hero World Challenge. The only catch? Bryson DeChambeau’s not touching one of them.

Puma Golf’s new “Saltwater Collection” (which you can check out here) includes three polos: The Slow Play Pocket Golf Polo, the Slow Play Golf Polo, and the Predator Polo. Fowler and Gary Woodland rocked the former two tops during Wednesday’s first round, with the turtles on their shirts poking fun at slow play while also leaning into the aquatic vibe of the Bahamas. But DeChambeau, who has been the butt of more than enough slow play jokes for his liking, stuck to the turtle-free Predator.

“It’s an awesome collection,” DeChambeau told Golf Channel. “They had the turtle one, and I wasn’t about to wear that. Not gonna happen.”

It appears to have already happened, of course: DeChambeau can be found on the Puma Golf website decked out, turtles and all. But it’s understandable that he’d avoid the look in competition, at least for now.

The polos debuted during a perfect week; with just 18 players in the field, pace of play was blazing. Woodland was in the third group off and shot 66 while playing in under three hours. Not bad, one reporter pointed out, for a guy with turtles on his shirt.

“Yeah, Puma’s got me decked out,” he said. “The pace is nice. Any time we can get twosomes, be one of the first groups off, that’s pretty nice. It’d be nice to see that every week.”

Woodland co-leads the event at six under, while Fowler sits T4 after a three-under 69. DeChambeau, meanwhile, struggled to a four-over 76. Maybe there’s some magic in those Slow Play Polos after all.

If you’re intrigued by the collection, you can pick yours up here.