Bryson DeChambeau’s YouTube channel continues to blow up in reputation. The reigning U.S. Open champion now has over 1.5 million subscribers, and his movies routinely eclipse the seven-figure mark.
In his newest endeavor, DeChambeau teamed up with fellow LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson as a part of his ‘Breaking 50’ collection. In these episodes, DeChambeau invitations a visitor to hitch him for a two-man scramble from the crimson tees to attempt to break 50—a ridiculously low rating, which could be very difficult to attain, even from essentially the most ahead teeing grounds.
Together with Mickelson, different ‘Breaking 50’ friends embrace former U.S. President Donald Trump, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, social media icon Paige Spiranac, and former Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo. DeChambeau now has 14 episodes of ‘Breaking 50’ in his YouTube repertoire and 138 movies on his channel total. DeChambeau’s video with Trump is by far his hottest, because it has over 12 million views since its premiere in late July.
Nonetheless, whereas driving up the seventeenth gap at Greenbrier, the place Mickelson and DeChambeau filmed their ‘Breaking 50’ episode, the best left-handed participant requested a easy query:
“Inform me about why or how you bought concerned in YouTube Golf?” Mickelson mulled.
“What actually motivated you to start out doing what you’re doing?”
DeChambeau then delivered a long-winded reply, explaining how his first YouTube video got here in 2020, in the course of the top of the pandemic. He needed to offer followers a glimpse into his life and what life on the PGA Tour seemed like behind the scenes. Extra importantly, he felt obligated to indicate his true persona to golf followers worldwide.
“Individuals had a thought means of who I used to be. I didn’t like how that was going, so I made a decision to take it upon myself to indicate individuals extra of who I’m,” DeChambeau mentioned.
“Fairly actually, it was an eye-opening expertise the primary time I ever did a YouTube video… it received one million views. It simply opened my eyes to how individuals might understand who you actually are once you current them with what you’re truly doing—not simply small snippets of any interplay or a poor interplay that I had or a mess-up that I had or no matter.”
DeChambeau’s reputation has since skyrocketed, together with his YouTube presence being a big purpose why. Look no additional than what transpired at Pinehurst No. 2 in June, when DeChambeau—not Rory McIlroy—acquired the loudest ovations as the 2 superstars made their manner down the stretch on Sunday. He then gained in dramatic vogue, sending the North Carolina crowd into delirium. DeChambeau proceeded to parade the trophy across the grandstands alongside the 18th fairway as he needed everybody on the property to have a good time his win with him. That gesture revealed the robust relationship he had created between himself and golf followers.
However the {golfing} world has lengthy considered DeChambeau as a polarizing determine. He arrived on the PGA Tour in 2016, and noticed early success. He gained for the primary time on the 2017 John Deere Traditional, however you both liked or loathed him, with no in-between. You admired his distinctive strategy to the sport, counting on science, pace, and high-level arithmetic, otherwise you thought he got here off as extremely condescending—a menace to how golfers have performed the sport for over a century.
He then determined to placed on weight on the onset of the pandemic, beefing up his stature to acquire extra pace, energy, and distance off the tee. Some considered this as inspiring, whereas others questioned this strategy. It in the end paid off, as he gained the U.S. Open that September at Winged Foot. He bombed and gauged his manner across the brutal West Course, successful by six and ending as the one participant below par.
But, earlier than then, in the summertime of 2020, DeChambeau had a few contentious moments with guidelines officers, main Brooks Koepka to make enjoyable of him. The 2 developed a rivalry within the yr or in order that adopted, dividing many golf followers alongside these strains. However rivalries are wholesome for the game and even non-golf fanatics. It captivated the sporting viewers as a complete, main everybody to ask, “Who’s facet are you on, Bryson’s? Or Brooks?” The attention-roll Koepka gave towards DeChambeau throughout a stay interview at Kiawah Island in 2021 served as an ideal metaphor for his or her feud, which has since dissolved.
DeChambeau sparked additional controversy by labeling Augusta Nationwide as a “Par 67” within the fall of 2020. Golf purists considered that remark as disrespectful, as many believed he had degraded golf’s holiest grounds. Others considered that comment as a show of confidence. However he undoubtedly degraded his Cobra driver the next summer time at The Open at Royal St. George’s. DeChambeau mentioned his “driver sucks,” which led a Cobra govt to say, “It’s simply actually, actually painful when he says one thing that silly. He’s by no means actually been joyful, ever.” DeChambeau then apologized, however the injury was finished.
After all, lower than one yr later, DeChambeau jettisoned to LIV Golf and joined Mickelson’s lawsuit in opposition to the PGA Tour. That sparked loads of outrage and controversy. So did his feedback on Jun. 6, 2023, when DeChambeau appeared on CNN simply hours after the tour shockingly introduced its framework settlement with the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV’s beneficiary. DeChambeau mentioned, “No person’s excellent,” when requested in regards to the Saudi Arabian Kingdom’s violent historical past, which incorporates direct connections to the Sept. 11 terrorist assaults in 2001.
Bryson DeChambeau, an early recruit to the Saudi-backed LIV tour, on the PGA merger shocker and criticism from the households of 9/11 victims: pic.twitter.com/i1R6AWjw1Z
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 7, 2023
“As we transfer ahead from that, we’ve received to look in direction of the pathway to peace, particularly in forgiveness, particularly if we’re attempting to fix the world and make it a greater place,” DeChambeau added.
“It’s unlucky what has occurred, and that’s one thing I can’t essentially converse on as a result of I’m a golfer.”
And but, in 2024, DeChambeau could also be the preferred golfer on the planet not named Tiger Woods. It’s a outstanding turnaround. He has gone from being one of the polarizing figures in all sports activities to one of the beloved people in golf. Perhaps it’s as a result of a lot of the {golfing} world doesn’t see him play as typically as he did on the PGA Tour. Or, probably, he has matured from his youthful self. Regardless, his YouTube presence has undoubtedly modified how individuals view him, which was one in every of his objectives when he started filming. On prime of that, DeChambeau has larger ambitions about why he continues to submit content material with golfers, celebrities, and even former presidents.
“[YouTube] simply actually opened my eyes to what it might do for the general public. I mentioned, ‘Wow, this might actually have an effect on juniors in an incredible manner, particularly after seeing what different content material creators have finished,’” DeChambeau added in his dialogue with Mickelson.
“It’s an incredible strategy to develop the sport. That’s what I would like for the sport. I would like the sport to be wholesome and develop without end as a result of it creates superb relationships.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
