Q. Bryson, when you look back at these three rounds, do you think this might be a turning point in your career in terms of links golf?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, look, it was fair conditions the past few days.
I always told you guys I like it when it’s fair conditions. I can play well. I still have to crack the code when it’s raining and windy.
But I feel like we’re getting close to some opportunities and solutions for that. It just takes a long time to develop stuff, I’m starting to learn.
It was a fun three days. I was really proud of the way I turned it around and gave myself actually some hope on the third round, after I was 3-under.
That first nine I thought, okay, if I go shoot 4- or 5-under on the back and give myself a chance on Sunday, throw myself up there and go out and play just as good as I did, like I did today, I could be right up there and giving Scottie a run.
Scottie’s in a league of his own right now. I played with him a lot in college, and he was not that good, so he’s figured out a lot of stuff since then. It’s really impressive to see and something we can all learn from for sure.
Q. Your YouTube numbers suggest that you’re a superstar and you’ve transcended traditional golf. Could you see Scottie ever doing that in his own way?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I think he’s a family man. He really respects his family, and he believes and wants that to be the most important thing for him. I have full respect for that.
At some point I will have a family. For him, I think it’s more important to take care of his family, which he’s done a great job and tremendous job of balancing the two, being the best golfer in the world and being a family man.
Q. Do you enjoy your golfing status as a superstar and someone who’s broken through in different ways?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It’s an honour really. When I came out here on the scene, people had a perception of me.
Albeit I knew who I was, it was difficult to express that, and I couldn’t say it. I was really lucky to find YouTube and have that kind of be the showcase for me and maturing a little bit and understanding how to learn and realising what this great game is all about.
Yeah, I love it. I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s a blessing and an honour.
I hope to continue to do it just like Arnold Palmer did, walking in his footsteps and move the game kind of like he did. If I can get a tenth of what he did, I’d be happy.
Q. The reception you had on 18 where you walk back onto the green, wave to each side of the stands and get that roar, that’s a reception that’s like the winner gets. In years gone by, you possibly wouldn’t have had that reception from the crowd. What has turned it? What has made you get that kind of reception? Because very, very few people get that kind of reception.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I think I look at the game a little bit different than others. I want to win.
I think we all know that. But there’s more than winning. There’s how you influence a younger population, how you showcase yourself, and what you do for others, what value do you give them.
The only reason we’re getting paid the numbers we’re getting paid is because of those individuals out there in the stands.
Once I started realising that, I started changing my mindset of, okay, what do I need to do to keep them coming back so they see me more in the light that I’m trying to showcase this great game.
The point of that was I think that there’s value created outside of tournament golf. It doesn’t mean it’s always going to be that way, but I hope that I can add to the game of golf from outside — YouTube, content, entertainment.
We’re doing something fun here in the next month and a half. You’re going to see it. It’s going to be a cool give-back sort of thing.
That’s the stuff that excites me now. Not more than tournament golf, but almost as much as tournament golf.
I think having another identity with that saying, hey, look, I’m not just a professional, but I’m an entertainer as well, and I like showcasing myself to others and doing fun challenges because that’s just who I am, has shown people the true side of myself and how I’ve been able to say, okay, I don’t have to play good all the time.
I can still not do my best and still have relevance and care from others because I’m hopefully growing the game outside of just playing tournament golf.
Q. There was one moment, you said, when I realised this. Was there a moment where you realised that and went, oh, okay, and then made the change?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It was when I put the new driver in play in 2023, and I filmed a video with Phil Mickelson and Cameron Tringale, and it was a 2-v-2 with Anirban and myself.
It was the Crushers against the HyFlyers, and we were just going and playing a nine-hole little thing, and it got a couple million views. Then I went and shot a 58 and we put it on YouTube, and it got another million views.
We were like, whoa, these are crazy numbers. There’s obviously something here that people want, and I was like, okay, this is the time to double down on this and see how far we can go with this.
You know me, guys, I love pushing the distance on certain things, and I tried doing this on YouTube.
And I realised, my goodness, there’s so much more than tournament golf. They want to see entertaining content. They want to be given as much value-added material as possible.
That’s the goal that I try to do is entertain and just give as much value-added material as possible now.
Q. With the Ryder Cup coming up in a couple months, I’m wondering what have you learned about team golf over the last several weeks, since the last time we saw you?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: We have the most wins on tour right now as the Crushers. It’s been so much fun playing with Paul, Anirban, and Charles. The way I’ve personally led my team is I’ve let them be their individual self, their best individual self.
However I can get Paul to be his best, Charles to be his best, and Baan to be his best is what has led us to the most successful out there, and they’re great golfers. They’re unbelievable. They’ve had great careers, and they still continue to have a great career.
That’s how I learned from team golf is let the individual be the best individual they can possibly be to add to the team.
That’s it. Don’t try to put someone in a bubble and say you need to do this, you need to do that.
What I learned best from my college coach, Josh Gregory, was just that, let me be me, which was amazing.
That’s why I did so well in college. And then the same thing, how I’ve led the Crushers, it’s the same exact thing.
I’ve let them be them. We’ve had the most success. There’s been two instances where I’ve had the most success, and that’s the way I’ll move forward in team competition.
Q. Being back in the Ryder Cup, this performance is pretty much going to seal your position. What does it mean to be back on the team? What can you bring as well to Bethpage Black?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I hope I can bring a lot of energy and a tsunami of a crowd that’s going to be rooting for Team USA.
Q. What about Portrush? Would you like to see The Open back here?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It’s a great Open venue. There’s a lot of tricky hole locations. I think it was a solid setup. Not much more than it would be a lot of fun. It would be a lot of fun to come back. It’s a great town.
Q. There’s been mention the President might have been in touch to suggest he might be in the crowd cheering you on.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Oh, the President, the U.S. President?
Q. Yes.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I don’t know. I think he’s got bigger problems on his hands right now. (Laughter).
Q. Can you just talk a bit about how the Thursday evening and the Sunday afternoon, how have you been feeling? And how incredibly proud are you of yourself after that round on Thursday?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Normally I’d be super pissed and frustrated, which I was rightfully so, because I thought I played pretty well and shot 7-over.
I said to myself, I’m going to do something different this time. I’ve been working on myself and how I am and how I act and whatnot.
I’m going to transition my brain to say, look, I’m going to give it everything I have tomorrow, no matter what happens. I’m going to go full force, attack like it’s Sunday of a major championship, and that’s what I did.
Q. For all the three days?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: That’s what I did for the past three days, I said, every time is go time, like you’ve got to come back from five, six back.
That’s the mentality I had. I said I’m going to give myself a chance. I’m not going to pout. I’m going to be free. It’s Sunday of a major. I’m going to be free. Kind of like what Scottie is doing right now.
Q. Have you spoken to Keegan at all this week?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I talked with him briefly, and then he put something in our lockers that was pretty inspirational. So, yeah.
Q. Can you share?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It’s personal.
Q. Like a message?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yes. It’s a personal message.
Q. Individualised to each person?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: In essence, yes. Yeah, for sure. It meant a lot.
This year’s no joke. We’re tired of it. We’re tired of losing.
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