By Mark Whiley

Copyright walesonline

Ryder Cup star Bryson DeChambeau possesses an eye-watering net worth despite previously claiming he was “broke.” The Team USA member suffered a torrid opening day at Bethpage Black, falling short in both his foursomes and fourballs encounters alongside Justin Thomas and Ben Griffin, respectively. Significant pressure will fall upon his shoulders as Team USA seeks to close the gap on the Europeans, who held a commanding 5.5-2.5 advantage heading into the second day. On the US side, the tournament’s build-up was overshadowed by the PGA of America’s groundbreaking choice to pay the team for the first time in the event’s storied history. This contentious issue had lingered for several years before being settled prior to the current instalment, with all 12 competitors, alongside captain Keegan Bradley, set to receive £373,000. From this sum, £223,000 must go towards a charity of each player’s choosing – representing an uplift from the previous charitable arrangement – while £150,000 can be spent at their discretion. For DeChambeau, this represents merely a fraction compared to his LIV Golf windfall in 2022 and his total wealth…. According to business publication Forbes , DeChambeau has a net worth of approximately £33million. This figure will have been boosted considerably by the reported £100m he secured to switch to LIV, where he serves as captain of Crushers GC. DeChambeau has remained tight-lipped about the actual worth of the agreement, saying: “I’m not gonna say the details. I mean, for what’s reported, it’s somewhat close. It’s a four-and-a-half year deal, I can definitely tell you that and a lot of it was up front, which is great.” Following his profitable switch to LIV, DeChambeau turned heads by jesting he was “broke” in an interview. He clarified that much of his income had been channelled into different enterprises, including his charity foundation, property investments, plus a multi-sport complex earmarked for Dallas, hence a lack of liquidity. He also mentioned funding for content creation through his Regecy platform and community-focused initiatives in both Dallas and California. These choices, DeChambeau noted, highlighted his belief that golf is a commercial enterprise, not merely a sport, and his broader strategy for wealth management. Despite being among LIV’s star attractions, there has been conjecture regarding his future with the Saudi-funded circuit following claims he requested just over £200m to prolong his contract past 2026, which his paymasters turned down. There was chatter that he might even stage a dramatic comeback to the PGA Tour. Regardless of such rumours, DeChambeau is understood to remain loyal to LIV, where he has earned approximately £30m in prize money. A source revealed to the Mirror US earlier this year that DeChambeau and his fellow captains remained fully committed to LIV. The source said: “The captains have a 25 percent equity stake in their teams. They are committed to the long-term success and future of their teams and the league.” Speaking afterwards, DeChambeau reaffirmed his loyalty to LIV while discussing a potential contract extension. He revealed in June: “We’re looking to negotiate end of this year and I’m very excited. They see the value in me, I see the value in what they can provide and I believe we’ll come to some sort of resolution on that. “I’m super excited for the future. LIV’s not going anywhere. He [LIV chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan] has been steadfast in his belief on team golf and whether everybody believes it or not, I believe it’s a viable option.” Once again touching on the commercial aspects of the sport, he continued: “Our team has been EBIDTA [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation] positive for the past two years, so we’re starting to grow and move in the right direction. “I know what LIV brings to the table. And I’m excited for the future of what golf is going to be.”