Rónán MacNamara at Royal Troon
Bryson DeChambeau admitted in his pre-tournament press conference at the Open Championship that he is the happiest he has ever been in himself despite arriving at Royal Troon in the midst of a messy pay scuffle.
DeChambeau’s former golf coach Micke Schy has claimed that the US Open champion agreed to help fund a new tournament for over $2 million on the ‘Central Valley Jon DeChambeau Memorial Junior Tour’, named in honour of his late father.
However, DeChambeau has dismissed these allegations stating earlier in the week that these allegations were untrue.
DeChambeau had grown up learning the sport under Schy’s tutelage at his performance institute in California and Schy had caddied for him during his amateur career and into the pros ranks before they split in 2018.
Now their relationship is at an impasse with DeChambeau keen to put any legal drama in the rearview mirror as he hunts a first Claret Jug this week.
“Look, it’s an unfortunate situation. I’ve loved that man for all of my life, and it’s a private matter that went public, unfortunately. We tried to figure it out and make it make sense for everyone, and it just didn’t come out that way,” said DeChambeau.
“I’ve said all I’ve said in the Golf Week article, and to be honest, like I’m moving on and looking forward to a great tournament this week. Not going to have any of that in the rear view mirror. History is history, and things will work themselves out.
“They always do.”
DeChambeau arrives in Troon this week as one of the championship favourites and he is gradually getting the hang of links golf as he swaps power hitting for precision and strategy with three cuts in a row including a T8 finish in 2022.
The US Open champion is brimming with confidence after he pipped Rory McIlroy to the post in Pinehurst. The loss hit McIlroy hard in the immediate aftermath with the Holywood man taking a few weeks off before hitting his first competitive shot in anger at the Genesis Scottish Open last week.
McIlroy came in for criticism for his abrupt departure after the US Open where he didn’t stick around to congratulate Bryson or do post round media duties. The pair met on Monday and Bryson insists all is well between the pair.
“I said hello to him yesterday, and we talked. He said congrats. So everything’s great there.
“He’s a fierce competitor. I know he’s going to give the fans, give everybody as much as he can this week. I’m going to be doing the same. We’re going to be competing. Hopefully it will be another good battle.”