Is there “trouble in the paradise,” for Scott O’Neil’s LIV Golf? That’s the question that recently started buzzing around after the Trump Doral National witnessed the absence of Bryson DeChambeau. You read that right. The 2024 US Open champion and one of the biggest golfers and creators isn’t playing at the LIV Golf creator event ‘The Duels.’ And guess what? Just like us, the analysts were surprised as well.
Recently, Brendan Porath sat with Andy Johnson on the Fried Egg Golf podcast. The main topic of discussion was Bryson DeChambeau’s absence. Brendan talked about it, saying, “Obviously, Bryson has his own strong YouTube presence, right?… He’s built this presence, you know, did LIV when you signed.”
Speculating on the reason behind the absence, he also posed a question, asking, “Does LIV have your NIL? And this is the given trade and, of course, like, the part of the complaint about the PGA Tour was that you know they were essentially prisoners. You know, shackled from doing anything, and I get it they were paid exorbitant sums the same way you might. You know that’s what the money is for.”
Last year, Phil Mickelson took a jab at the PGA Tour, revealing, “We didn’t have an opportunity for equity. We didn’t have an opportunity to do our own social media. That was all controlled and shot down.” The insider speculated that this time reason can be the same, but here, LIV Golf is pulling strings. That’s not it. He also explained his suspicions about the tournament being streamed on Grant Horvat’s channel instead of DeChambeau’s, which has more subscribers as compared to Horvat’s.
Later, Brendan also talked about ‘The Scientist‘s popularity, saying, “Bryson, though, is a showman. This is where he lives and operates as much as anywhere. So it’s peculiar. I am not suggesting that there is trouble in the paradise, but I do think there are some questions about getting those guys involved.” Last year, DeChambeau’s popularity rose significantly after he won at Pinehurst No. 2, and he also committed to continuing his career in LIV Golf.
Sep 21, 2024; Carrolton, Texas, USA; Bryson DeChambeau of the Crushers GC walks down the first fairway during the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship Semifinals at Maridoe Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
“No, I’m very excited about the future of LIV Golf,” DeChambeau said while dismissing the rumors of him going back to the PGA Tour. “I’m very excited to be the captain of the Crushers and continue our legacy that we’re starting to create. That’s my goal, to create this lasting legacy where we impact millions and millions of golfers’ lives around the world. That should tell you everything you should know.” Clearly, if Bryson DeChambeau had been part of ‘The Duel’, it would have helped LIV Golf to gain a lot more viewers, just like the Saudi-backed league benefitted from him last year.
How did Bryson DeChambeau help LIV Golf?
Last year, after winning the US Open, DeChambeau carried his trophy everywhere, garnering a lot of attention from the community. Not only that, but his popularity also surged, and LIV Golf benefitted from it. LIV’s New Media shared this update on X: “LIV Nashville to be the MOST ATTENDED league event on US SOIL Riding the BRYSON BUMP, LIV execs are seeing ENORMOUS GAINS in TICKET & MERCH SALES this week after the US Open win.”
Reports revealed that LIV Golf experienced a 240% surge in its average daily ticket sales thanks to The Scientist’s popularity. The Nashville event also attracted ticket buyers from 15 different countries and all 50 US states. They also witnessed a huge 985% increase in buyers of DeChambeau’s team, Crusher GC merchandise. After all this, his absence from ‘The Duels’ remains a big question mark.
Why do you think Bryson DeChambeau is not playing at LIV Golf’s creator event?
The post LIV Golf Under Scrutiny as Bryson DeChambeau’s Absence in Miami Event Raises Eyebrows Among Golf Insiders: ‘It’s Peculiar’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.