How Bryson DeChambeau handled hecklers with an assist from actor Chris Pratt
Bryson DeChambeau's popularity has also brought some unwanted negative attention his way.
Darren Carroll/PGA of America
The last 13 months have held all kind of surprises for Bryson DeChambeau, some good, some bad, and some just plain bizarre.
It started with his breakthrough moment, when he rode his beefed-up physique and massive drives to his first major win at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September 2020. The U.S. Open victory rocketed Bryson into full-blown stardom, instantly making him the center of attention on Tour.
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It ended with two events that earned DeChambeau even more supporters, the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, where he made a victorious second appearance on the U.S. team, and the World Long Drive Championships the very next week, where he shocked (and entertained) golf fans on his way to a top-8 finish.
In between though, the main story was a feud with fellow Tour pro Brooks Koepka. The feud brought some rare negative attention to Bryson, with hecklers at every Tour stop harassing him with shouts of “Brooksie.”
The temporary heel turn hit DeChambeau hard. But it turns out a Hollywood star helped Bryson get through his lowest moments amid the heckling.
During a recent appearance on the Full Send podcast, DeChambeau revealed that actor Chris Pratt gave him some quality advice about dealing with critics, which helped him change his mindset and come to terms with what he was going through.
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Pratt advised Bryson to divorce the “fictional character” he inhabits on the course from the real person he is at home.
“He was like, ‘Bryson, you have to take yourself away from that. The person you are off the golf course is not going to be the same person you are on the golf course. It can’t be. People’s perception and their idea of who you are is, unfortunately, going to be a fictional character,'” DeChambeau explained.
“He said ‘So play that fictional character when you’re on the golf course, and then when you’re off the golf course be who you are. And know who you are, and don’t let that fictional character change who you actually are,'” Bryson continued. “And that made me comfortable with playing that character out on the golf course.”
You can check out a clip of the segment below, or watch the complete Full Send episode here.
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