Love him or hate him, Bryson DeChambeau certainly proved he’s a “man of the people” last week at the PGA Championship.
Whether it’s charisma in interviews, his videos on YouTube and social media or his electric style of play, DeChambeau has completely re-characterized himself from a PGA Tour villain, who might have been too smart for his own good, to a fan-favorite over the past few years.
He even said during his post-round press conference Sunday at the PGA Championship, after finishing one shot shy of Xander Schauffele’s winning score, that he was “trying to be a bit of an entertainer that plays good golf every once in a while.”
But some of the moments that have made DeChambeau so endearing to fans aren’t part of that show. They show who he really is.
None was more at the forefront than when he was one of the first people to congratulate Schauffele on his victory as he walked from the 18th green into scoring Sunday evening.
“That’s class,” Jim Nantz said on the CBS broadcast. “DeChambeau comes over to give him a nod, a congratulatory handshake.”
There was also a moment earlier in the week when Tommy Fleetwood made eagle on the last hole Friday to make the cut on the number. Playing in the same group, DeChambeau was just as happy as Fleetwood.
‘That’s class’: Bryson DeChambeau delivers sporting gesture in defeat
Perhaps you are a cynic and think that is part of the show, DeChambeau is just doing the easy things to make himself look better in front of the cameras.
Then take what happened during the middle of his round Sunday. As DeChambeau walked off the 9th green toward the 10th tee, he tried to toss a young fan his golf ball. That’s the kinda thing that kids will remember forever, some even use it as motivation to take their own golf games to the next level and in so many years, be the ones handing out golf balls themselves.
It’s a small gesture for DeChambeau, but a huge moment for the kid.
Until some jerk decides to step in front of the helpless child and steal the ball for himself. Typically, that’s just life: tough. The player could be onto something else, in the middle of his round or on his way to a press conference.
DeChambeau was in the thick of the tournament. He was two back of Schauffele at the time and was about to get a great opportunity to make up ground at the par-5 10th. He could have easily missed what happened and gone on about his round, none the wiser.
But he didn’t.
DeChambeau was turning his head toward the 10th tee, but caught the older man reaching out in front of the young kid to snatch away the golf ball he tossed to him out of the corner of his eye.
He immediately stopped and turned back toward the rope, pointing out the man with his putter.
“Hey!” DeChambeau shouted at the man who was seemingly trying to flee the scene of the crime. His call only grew louder. “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! HEY! HEY! HEY!”
The crowd cheering on DeChambeau as he marched to the next hole suddenly fell silent.
“Give that ball back,” someone from the crowd screamed as the man came back to DeChambeau.
“Come on, buddy,” DeChambeau told the man as his walk of shame back turned into a hustle of embarrassment.
Without even looking at him, the man handed back DeChambeau’s golf ball to the young fan, whose face just lit up. He didn’t care that the ball intended for him was initially intercepted by an overzealous tournament attendee. He couldn’t contain the excitement for the souvenir he just received.
His smile said it all. DeChambeau made it right.
