DeChambeau credits Woods for ‘creating’ LIV Golf opportunity
Bryson DeChambeau has heaped praise on Tiger Woods by thanking the 15-time major winner for having “created” his LIV Golf opportunity.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of LIV Golf Chicago, DeChambeau was pressed on the challenges faced after joining the breakaway league. The American – who has been banned by the PGA Tour for his defection – responded by thanking Woods and the Tour for aiding his LIV “opportunity”, insisting he has “no buyer’s remorse.”
DeChambeau said: “This is the biggest decision besides choosing my agent that I’ve ever made in my entire life, and I couldn’t be more happy to be over here [at LIV Golf].
“I have no buyer’s remorse. I have ultimate respect for the PGA Tour and what they’ve done for my career. As I’ve said it from day one, they’ve allowed me this opportunity.
“I have to look back and thank Tiger for this opportunity because he’s the one that’s ultimately created this.”
Mickelson’s lobby
After the somewhat ambiguous claim, DeChambeau then turned his attention to fellow LIV golfer and Woods’s great rival Phil Mickelson.
Discussing the recent PGA Tour changes, DeChambeau claims Mickelson has been “lobbying” for the revisions for “10 to 15 years”. This comes just one week after Xander Schauffele also vindicated Lefty for his part in the changes come to fruition.
“The $500,000 for each player is no small sum of cash and something that we’ve been asking.” DeChambeau continued. “Mickelson, from what I talked to him about, again, this is hearsay, but from what I had talked to him about, he had been lobbying for that for a long time. I’m talking 10 to 15 years.”
With the PGA Tour vs LIV Golf war now stormier than ever, DeChambeau then expressed his disappointment at not being able to feature in the Presidents Cup, labelling the situation “sad” while calling for a future compromise to made.
“From a team aspect, it is sad that those governing bodies have not allowed us to be able to qualify.” He said. “That’s all I can say to that.
“I want to play in numerous events on the PGA Tour. It would be awesome. That’s what LIV Golf has tried to [do], they have allowed us to play on the PGA Tour. It’s the PGA Tour barring us from doing so.
“I hope one day we can come to a compromise. I would love nothing more than that.”
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George Cooper
A golf fanatic his entire life, George Cooper is NCG's man for all goings-on at the top level of the game, whether it's the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA or LIV Golf. He also looks after NCG's Twitter and Facebook accounts. George is a member of Woburn, but is not friends with Ian Poulter.
