Brooks Koepka, who joined LIV in 2022, was part of the 2023 American team. Until now, he’s been the only one who has done so. But this year, Bryson DeChambeau will play alongside Scottie Scheffler and the company. The PGA Tour has banned LIV Golf players from participating in its events. These golfers are suspended and have to end their association and wait out the suspension before playing PGA Tour events again. So why is Bryson DeChambeau playing in the Ryder Cup? Did he leave LIV Golf, or were the rules changed just for him?
Bryson DeChambeau’s 2025 Ryder Cup status
The two-time U.S. Open champion has appeared in two Ryder Cup tournaments. He was on the 2018 team that faced defeat, and then on the 2021 team that beat Europe with a score of 19-9. But both appearances were before he started playing in LIV Golf events. He was not part of the 2023 biennial event, but this time, Bryson is playing in the 2025 Ryder Cup despite his affiliation with LIV Golf.
Bryson’s journey was challenging because the PGA Tour barred him from its events. The scores achieved in these events play a significant role in helping a golfer become automatically qualified for the Ryder Cup. Therefore, Bryson’s only option was to outperform others in major tournaments. He achieved six top-10 finishes in eight majors over the qualifying period, one of them being his second U.S. Open victory in 2024.
The British Open was Bryson’s last major before the Ryder Cup. He finished tied for 10th in the event, thanks to his final-round 64. He was in the top 6 rankings. However, there were four other PGA Tour events, the 3M Open, Wyndham Championship, FedEx St. Jude Championship, and BMW Championship, before the completion of the qualifying period. These were the events Bryson could not play. So his standings at the end of the British Open did not confirm his position on the team.
Despite his position in the rankings, Bryson was bound to make it to the team, as confirmed by captain Keegan Bradley.
“Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said to Sports Illustrated via a text message. “He brings so much. He brings energy, passion, but most importantly, he’s one of the best players on the planet,” he continued.
So, while Bryson couldn’t earn points after the British Open, his place on the team was certain. Captain Keegan Bradley would have eventually selected him as one of the captain’s picks. This could have resulted in backlash at Bradley for picking a golfer associated with LIV Golf. However, none of it happened because Bryson ended in the sixth position after calculating the BMW Championship points. Thus, he was automatically qualified as a member of Team America.
Bryson DeChambeau and LIV Golf Ryder Cup eligibility
The confusion about Bryson’s eligibility arises because of the PGA Tour’s ban on LIV Golf players. However, the Ryder Cup is managed by the PGA of America, which is a distinct entity. The PGA of America has no specific regulations barring LIV Golf players from participation. Even the captain can choose any LIV Golf player as one of the six picks he gets.
Like the American team, the European team also has six members who automatically qualify based on points and another six who are the captain’s picks. And LIV Golf players from Europe can also take part in the Ryder Cup. However, the rules are a little different for them. They must maintain an active DP World Tour membership. Additionally, they also have to pay fines to remain eligible for selection.
Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm are two golfers associated with LIV Golf but are part of the European team.
Since the PGA of America organizes the Ryder Cup and it doesn’t have any bans, Bryson DeChambeau is eligible despite his LIV Golf affiliation.
Team USA’s perspective on Bryson DeChambeau
Many golf fans and even some star European players are criticizing Bryson DeChambeau.
“I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people,” said McIlroy to The Guardian. The 2025 Masters Tournament winner said this when asked about Bryson’s comment, “chirp in the ear,” about playing him at Bethpage. McIlroy said, “That is basically what I think of that. To get attention, he will mention me or Scottie [Scheffler] or others.”
Brandel Chamblee, an American golfer and commentator, even titled Bryson as a ‘captain’s nightmare.’
However, his teammates have backed DeChambeau. To begin with, Keegan Bradley has branded him as the X-factor for his team.
“I think Bryson, just his golfing ability alone, is an X-factor for our team, but also, he’s a really fiery player. When you come to a Ryder Cup, you don’t want guys to try to be something they’re not. We have a lot of calm, mellow guys, so we need the energy from Bryson, and he brings that every day in practice rounds, in the team room, and hopefully in the tournament competition too.”
It’s not just Bradley; however, his teammates are also backing Bryson and sticking it to Brandel Chamblee. Scottie Scheffler also praised DeChambeau.
“I think Bryson is a tremendous competitor. He’s a great partner as well. I partnered with him in 2021 at Whistling Straits. And he was a tremendous guy to be out there on the golf course with. He’s a great guy. He’s a good friend. And, he’s been great in our team room,” said the World No.1.
It does not end there. Xander Schauffele said, “I was telling Keegan, I was like, I feel Bryson could be the difference for us in a strange way.” He even called him a gladiator. “This is his arena. If he views himself as a gladiator golfer, this is as good as it gets,” Xander reflected.
Patrick Cantlay, the veteran who will play his third consecutive Ryder Cup in 2025, is happy that he won’t face Bryson as an opponent. “We’ve played in a few team events together, Presidents Cups and the [2021] Ryder Cup. He’s great in team events. I was watching him hit drivers on the range the other day, and I’m glad he’s on our side. He’s a showman out there. I think he’s going to get the crowd fired up. It’s really great anytime he’s on these teams because he’s such a fantastic player,” said Patrick.
Other players, like Russell Henley and J.J. Spaun, have also backed their teammate. Many of the US team members believe he can be the key differentiator because of the energy he brings in. Even fans are backing Bryson after he faced criticism from Brandel Chamblee.
Following the 2023 Ryder Cup victory, European team members attributed their success to the strong bond they formed off the golf course. Bryson can do the same for the American team.