‘Don’t know what he was afraid of:’ Bryson’s match play decision baffles Brooks

Brooks Kopeka and Bryson DeChambeau’s rivalry has cooled since their defection to LIV Golf. The two major champions even played together as teammates in the Showdown against Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler last December.

But just because the rivalry isn’t active doesn’t mean the two see eye-to-eye on everything.

Brooks Koepka-Bryson DeChambeau rivalry

The contemptuous relationship started in 2019 when the two were paired together in Dubai and DeChambeau’s pace of play drew the ire of the notoriously quick Koepka. Then, in 2020, the two shared barbs over physique during DeChambeau’s bulking era. In 2021, Koepka’s infamous eyeroll was unleashed at the 2021 PGA Championship, which led to a summer’s worth of fans heckling DeChambeau, reaching a head at the Memorial.

But when they both left for LIV in 2022, the rivalry was squashed, and each went out of their way to ensure that no bad blood arose.

“We’ve come a long way. Going to LIV, honestly, I think that was a big moment for us, right?” Koepka said of DeChambeau in December. “We were forced — well, I don’t want to say forced — but we were communicating a lot more, our conversation became a lot more open. From there, I’m the first person to admit I can be a bit stubborn.

“We all get older, we all mature a little bit, and then you realize, hey, Bryson’s a good dude,” Koepka said. “I think he’s severely misunderstood, and I think the world is starting to see who Bryson DeChambeau is, which is cool. I’m the first person to admit it: I was wrong with what my original thoughts were.”

Bryson’s odd match play decision

DeChambeau and Koepka have become strange bedfellows, but they still aren’t completely on the same page, as was evident on Friday at LIV Michigan, the team championship, at the Cardinal at St. John’s.

After both DeChambeau’s Crushers GC and Koepka’s Smash GC won their first-round matchups, DeChambeau, as the captain, had the opportunity to put himself out first against Koepka on Saturday. Instead, he elected to put Anirban Lahiri out first, choosing to put himself out second against Talor Gooch.

The decision baffled Koepka.

“I don’t know what the thinking was behind that,” Koepka said. “I’d probably say the people would want to see that. I don’t know what he was afraid of. I don’t know. He beats to his own drum. He’s a strange cat.”

Asked why he didn’t pick himself to face Koepka in Saturday’s semis, DeChambeau smirked.

“I’ve got my reasons,” DeChambeau said.

DeChambeau’s decision, whatever the reason, paid off on Saturday as he defeated Gooch 1 up, while Paul Casey and Charles Howell III knocked off Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak. Koepka defeated Lahiri 1 up, but it wasn’t enough for Smash to advance to the finals.

After beating Gooch, DeChambeau revealed a little more about his decision not to face Koepka.

“Talor’s playing some good golf, really good golf, and I felt like Baan would be great for Brooks today,” DeChambeau said. “Look, I could have gone up against him. Brooks is a great fighter, and I would have loved to have played against him. But I felt like, from a matchup perspective, Talor was going to be a more difficult force today. He shot 6-under today. I shot 7, and barely scraped by on the last to clip him.

“He’s a grinder and a fighter, and I know he’s a battler. Hat’s off to Gooch for his play. It’s tough to play against him. He’s a great wedger, a great putter. I was scared all day for sure.”

DeChambeau’s Crushers will meet Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII and Louis Oosthuizen’s Stinger GC in the stroke play finals on Sunday.