Bryson DeChambeau Says He Had Dinner with Brooks Koepka, Won't Feud at Ryder Cup
Sep 21, 2021
KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 21: Bryson DeChambeau of team United States speaks to the media prior to the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 21, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The ongoing feud between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka will be put on hold, at least temporarily.
DeChambeau told reporters Tuesday that he had dinner with Koepka leading up to the Ryder Cup to discuss some of their issues.
A lot of this social media stuff has definitely been driven by a lot of external factors, not necessarily us two. We had some some great conversations Tour Championship week when we had dinner, and then this week as well. I sat down and had dinner with him last night and it was fine. I think there maybe something up here moving forward, but won't speak too much more on that.''
The feud between DeChambeau and Koepka initially began as a friendly rivalry in 2019 when Koepka expressed frustration with DeChambeau's slow playing style.
Was standing on the putting green with Koepka's caddie earlier when an irritated Bryson DeChambeau walked up & told him to tell his boss to make any comment about slow play "to my face". Brooks arrived soon after, got the message & ambled over for a chat with the scientist.
It's unclear when exactly things took a turn, but one standout moment was in Jan. 2020 when DeChambeau commented on Koepka's physique during a Twitch livestream.
After hearing DeChambeau's comments, Koepka responded on Twitter:
Earlier this year, Koepka infamously rolled his eyes during a post-round interview with Golf Channel when he saw DeChambeau walking behind him.
Fans added fuel to the fire by taunting DeChambeau with chants of "Brooksie" during tournaments. The PGA Tour took action to prevent this by announcing last month that fans could be expelled from events if they antagonized players on the course.
Koepka and DeChambeau are set to play together for Team USA in the Ryder Cup for the second successive time. They were previously on the 2018 squad that lost to Europe.
Koepka made his Ryder Cup debut in 2016, going 3-1 overall in his four matches.
The 2021 Ryder Cup will be held from Sept. 24-26 at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin.
Tiger Woods Releasing 10K NFTs to Be Sold Through Company Co-Founded by Tom Brady
Sep 21, 2021
FILE - In this March 29, 2019, file photo Tiger Woods watches his drive on the sixth hole during round-robin play at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, in Austin, Texas. The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, citing privacy concerns for the golf star. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Tiger Woods is getting into the NFT market, with some assistance from a company co-founded by Tom Brady.
Per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, the first set of 10,000 non-fungible tokens featuring digital images of Woods was released Tuesday through the Autograph and DraftKings marketplace.
Brady and Dillon Rosenblatt co-founded Autograph earlier this year. The company launched in the spring, with several superstar athletes including Woods, Tony Hawk, Derek Jeter, Wayne Gretzky, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka on the board of advisors.
The intersection of sports and technology is such an interesting space to me, and I'm thrilled to partner with Autograph as they lead the charge by ushering a new era of digital collecting," Woods said in a statement, via VanHaaren. "It's been an honor to join their advisory board among so many iconic athletes, and I'm looking forward to bringing fans closer to my memorable sports moments at an accessible price, and to the game I respect so much
Prices for the initial drop of Woods NFTs range from $12 to $100. VanHaaren noted there are only 375 non-fungible tokens available at the top price point.
A special collection of 300 digitally autographed version of the NFTs will be released on Sept. 28, with prices ranging from $250 to $1,500.
Brady has already released several NFTs through the site, including a signed ruby version that is currently selling for $1,500.
Stricker: Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau Feud Is 'Non-Issue' For USA Ryder Cup Team
Sep 20, 2021
FILE- This combo of 2021 file photos show golfers Bryson DeChambeau, left, and and Brooks Koepka. While the 2020 U.S. Ryder Cup team includes DeChambeau and Koepka, who have made their dislike for each other abundantly clear over the last few months. The pandemic-delayed 2020 Ryder Cup returns the United States next week at Whistling Straits along the Wisconsin shores of Lake Michigan. (AP Photo/File)
The feud between Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau has been a major PGA Tour storyline this year, but United States Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker does not believe it will be an issue now that they are teammates representing their country.
Stricker said in a news conference that he spoke with both golfers and called it a "non-issue for me and the team."
"Will we pair them together? I don't think so at this point but things could change," he continued. "Could always happen. But probably not. But again, I had a dinner; they all showed up. We had great conversation, great talks. So I'm not seeing it as an issue at all and they are completely on board."
The feud with DeChambeau isn't even the only way Koepka made headlines coming into the competition that starts Friday.
During an interview with Matthew Rudy of Golf Digest, Koepka explained some of the downsides to the Ryder Cup schedule, saying it allows for "no time to decompress" and calling it "hectic" and "a bit odd."
He also withdrew from the third round of the Tour Championship on Sept. 4 with a left wrist injury, but Stricker does not seem particularly concerned.
"Again, I am not worried about Brooks," the captain said. "He assures me he's healthy. He assures me that he is 100 percent all-in on this team and whatever he needs to do for this team to become the winner at the end of the week. Again, I'm not worried about Brooks at all, and it's been good talks and he's ready to get down and start playing."
As for the feud between Koepka and DeChambeau, it has been an ongoing story with turns that even included Tom Brady tweeting out memes featuring the two golfers.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan even said fans who call DeChambeau "Brooksie"—which has frequently happened at tournaments this year—could be ejected. Kevin Van Valkenburg of ESPN reported DeChambeau confronted a fan who did that after he lost a six-hole playoff to Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship.
For now, the two rivals are teammates and will look to lead the United States to just its second win since 2008.
Tiger Woods 'Progressing' in Leg Injury Rehab After Car Crash, Steve Stricker Says
Sep 8, 2021
FILE - In this March 29, 2019, file photo Tiger Woods watches his drive on the sixth hole during round-robin play at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, in Austin, Texas. The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, citing privacy concerns for the golf star. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Tiger Woods is apparently "progressing" with an eye on playing golf again as he recovers from the serious car accident he was involved in on Feb. 23.
That is what Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker told Carl Paulson and Dennis Paulson of SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio (h/t Bob Harig of ESPN) on Tuesday.
"I've talked to Tiger a lot," Stricker said. "He's a part of this Ryder Cup family; he won't be able to be a captain's assistant this time around just because of his ongoing rehabilitation to try to get better and try to play golf again, and that is going well. He's progressing, he's doing well, things are moving in the right direction."
Harig noted Woods suffered broken bones in his right leg and injuries to his right ankle and foot in the crash. The 15-time major champion was also recovering from a fourth back surgery he underwent in December at the time of the crash.
There have not been many official updates on Woods' progress, although he did post a picture of himself on crutches with his dog in April on his Instagram account.
"My course is coming along faster than I am," the caption read. "But it's nice to have a faithful rehab partner, man's best friend."
Stricker said Woods would not be at the Ryder Cup in person as a vice captain this year.
The United States captain announced Daniel Berger, Harris English, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth as his captain's picks for the United States in this year's Ryder Cup.
The rest of the roster was determined by performance dating back to 2019:
USA team locked in 🔒
Steve Stricker has named his 6⃣ wildcard picks to complete his #TeamUSA Ryder Cup squad 🇺🇸
This year's Ryder Cup is scheduled to start Sept. 24 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele Headline Team USA Ryder Cup Captain's Picks
Sep 8, 2021
CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND - JULY 22: Xander Schauffele of the United States shakes hands with Jordan Spieth of the United States on the 18th green during the final round of the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Club on July 22, 2018 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
United States captain Steve Stricker unveiled his squad for the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
The first six spots were based on a golfer's performance dating back to 2019, which left Stricker to determine his six captain's picks. The 54-year-old selected Daniel Berger, Harris English, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth.
USA team locked in 🔒
Steve Stricker has named his 6⃣ wildcard picks to complete his #TeamUSA Ryder Cup squad 🇺🇸
Stricker didn't spring many surprises considering he chose six of the eight highest-ranked golfers in the U.S. Ryder Cup qualifying standings.
Patrick Reed is the biggest snub, though some will feel his exclusion is justified.
The 2018 Masters champion was hospitalized with double pneumonia in August, which caused him to miss the BMW Championship after already having missed the Wyndham Championship and Northern Trust for separate reasons.
Reed returned for the Tour Championship and finished in 25th at two under, a performance that may not have impressed Stricker too much. His last two appearances in a team setting for the U.S. likely impacted the decision-making process, too.
Stricker told reporters he "lost sleep" while going over whether to select Reed.
"He is a tremendous competitor. His record at the Ryder Cup is pretty darn good," he also said. "I think it was just the uncertainty of his health and really the lack of play that led to our decision down the stretch."
Going strictly off the standings, Webb Simpson would've been in a position to compete in the Ryder Cup ahead of Scheffler.
Simpson went without a victory this season but had six top-10 finishes in 21 events. He also has a lot of experience with the U.S. team, competing in the 2012, 2014 and 2018 Ryder Cups.
Stricker addressed why he thought Scheffler was a better fit for the 2021 tournament:
Steve Stricker on Scottie Scheffler: “Total rookie to team play at Ryder Cup and President’s Cup, but he showed us what he could do at WGC Match Play by taking down Poulter, Rahm & Day…and he’s a guy who makes lots of birdies.”
Stricker's picks were ranked Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 in the Ryder Cup standings. P Reed was No. 11. Webb Simpson, at No. 13, was also bypassed for No. 14 Scheffler.
Stricker on taking Scheffler: Beat Poutler, Rahm and J Day at WGC match play Distance Stats Makes birdies
Europe has dominated the Ryder Cup in recent years, claiming seven of the last nine installments.
With what's likely to be a raucous atmosphere in Haven, Wisconsin, perhaps Stricker's squad can bring the United States its second victory in five years.
FedEx Cup Winner 2021: Patrick Cantlay's Prize Money and Final Golf Standings
Sep 5, 2021
Patrick Cantlay hits from the tee on the third hole during the final round of play in the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Patrick Cantlay is the 2021 FedEx Cup champion after withstanding a stiff challenge from Jon Rahm at the Tour Championship from Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club.
Cantlay started the tournament at 10-under by virtue of beginning the weekend first in the FedEx Cup standings. He went 11-under during the tournament to finish 21-under overall, one stroke better than Rahm's 20-under mark.
Here's a look at the top 10 and ties following the conclusion of the Tour Championship alongside purse winnings for each golfer.
However, Cantlay struggled through the 17th hole after his drive found the rough. His approach missed the green, and he eventually found himself with a 5'11" putt just to make bogey.
He gave it a good effort but did not connect. In response, Cantlay just missed his eagle before tapping in for birdie and the win.
The 29-year-old Cantlay won his first Fed Ex Cup championship following the win. He has enjoyed his best PGA Tour season yet, winning the Memorial, last week's BMW Championship and this week's Tour Championship.
He also finished second at The American Express and tied for third at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Tour Championship 2021: Patrick Cantlay Takes 2-Stroke Lead into Final Round
Sep 5, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 04: Jon Rahm of Spain reacts after making birdie on the 13th hole during the third round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 04, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
One week after emerging victorious from an epic playoff battle with Bryson DeChambeau at the BMW Championship, Patrick Cantlay looks headed for another tense finish against one of the top golfers in the world at the Tour Championship.
At least that's if Saturday's play carries over to Sunday's final round at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia, where the final pairing of Cantlay and Jon Rahm put on a dramatic back nine.
Cantlay led by four strokes after 10 holes, but Rahm made a late charge, cut the lead to one and had a chance to walk off the 18th green tied at 19 under. Instead, Patty Ice sank a 23-foot birdie putt to move back to 20 under, while Rahm settled for par to remain 18 under.
It wasn't that Rahm played a particularly bad front nine Saturday. In fact, he was nearly flawless with two birdies and one bogey at the turn. The Spaniard just couldn't help that Cantlay was dialed in.
The leader put together back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7, sank a par putt at the par-four No. 8 and then earned two more consecutive birdies at Nos. 9 and 10. That moved Cantlay to 21 under and provided a cushion he would most certainly rely on.
Starting with the 11th hole, Cantlay's game began to slip away.
He was forced to two-putt a par three for bogey before getting that stroke back with a birdie on No. 13, but Cantlay couldn't avoid trouble after that. The 29-year-old bogeyed par fours at No. 14 and No. 16 to drop to 19 under and one stroke ahead of his playing partner.
Rahm, meanwhile, remained consistent throughout the back nine. Playing mistake-free after the turn, but only coming up with one birdie. If not for a missing 30-foot putt on No. 18 by a matter of inches, he'd be just one stroke off the lead.
It was still much better outing than DeChambeau's.
Golf's version of a slugger had too many wayward shots on the front nine to stay competitive. Bogeys on Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 6 derailed what had been a solid tournament to that point. After shooting in the 60s in his first two rounds, DeChambeau finished Saturday with a 72.
After posting four bogeys on one birdie through 12 holes, Koepka withdrew from play with a wrist injury. The biggest question now is whether or not the American will be ready to play in the Ryder Cup at the end of the month.
"He knew that something was wrong after hitting that root."
Cantlay is already assured on a spot on the U.S. team at this point. If he hangs on for a Tour Championship victory Sunday, he may be one of the most exciting players to watch when the international competition kicks off at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
Tour Championship 2021: Patrick Cantlay Leads Jon Rahm by 1 Stroke After Round 2
Sep 3, 2021
Patrick Cantlay hits from the tee on the third hole during second round play in the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Patrick Cantlay and Jon Rahm remain in the top two spots through the first two rounds of the 2021 Tour Championship.
Coming into the event as the top seed in the FedEx Cup standings, Cantlay began the first round at 10 under par and had a two-shot advantage over Tony Finau. He has maintained his position after 36 holes.
Cantlay finished the second round with a four-under 66. He has played 31 straight holes without a bogey.
Rahm repeated his 65 from the opening round to get within one shot of Cantlay for the lead.
There is a some separation between those two and the rest of the field. Bryson DeChambeau (-11) and Justin Thomas (-10) are the only other players who are at least10 under par.
Cantlay's first birdie of the day came on the only par five on the front nine. He managed to save birdie after his second shot landed in the bunker on the right side of the green.
On the back nine at No. 13, Cantlay came so close to making an eagle. His second shot on the par four missed the hole by two inches, forcing him to settle for a birdie.
Cantlay closed his round with a strong flurry that included back-to-back birdies on No. 17 and 18 that allowed him to hang on to sole possession of the lead going into the third round.
Rahm had a nearly-flawless second round, but the one mistake gave Cantlay the opening he needed to remain alone atop the leaderboard. The 26-year-old hit his tee shot on No. 14 into the tree outline.
After getting back onto the fairway with his second shot, Rahm's next shot landed in the rough. He took a bogey on the hole, dropping him back down to 13-under par.
That came after Rahm looked like he was building momentum with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13.
Back-to-back birdies.@JonRahmPGA rolls it in from off the green.
Rahm did get his bearings back after the bogey. He played the par-four 16th hole to perfection, getting within 10 feet of the hole in two shots to set himself up for an easy birdie putt.
That was the start of his run of three consecutive birdies to close out the round, including this 25-footer on No. 17.
Thomas missed a golden opportunity to keep pace with Rahm and Cantlay. The Louisville native played the first 15 holes at five-under par. He fell apart on No. 16, with his first two shots landing in bunkers, as he settled for a bogey.
Moving to the 17th hole, Thomas put himself in a bad position with his tee shot landing in the rough. He did get back on track and even had a chance to save par with a nine-foot birdie putt, but he left it short and took another bogey.
Thomas' short game had been on point early in the round. He made a birdie putt from 60 feet away on No. 14 that moved him to 12-under par overall.
With Thomas, DeChambeau and the rest of the field unable to keep pace, the weekend looks like it will be a two-man showdown between Cantlay and Rahm to determine the tournament winner and the FedEx Cup champion.
Cantlay is showing no signs of slowing down coming off his dramatic playoff win last week at the BMW Championship. Rahm has been remarkably consistent of late, with four consecutive top-10 finishes dating back to his win at the U.S. Open in June.
Report: PGA Tour Agrees to Netflix Docuseries; Will Feature 'Several' Top Players
Sep 2, 2021
NEWBURGH, IN - SEPTEMBER 02: Patrick Rodgers and his caddie walk across a bridge to the 6th hole during the first round of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing and Financing at Victoria National Golf Club on September 2, 2021 in Newburgh, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The PGA Tour is partnering with Netflix on a new documentary series that will "aim to provide unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to some of the best golfers in the world as they play the 2021-22 PGA Tour season," per Dylan Dethier of Golf.com.
Vox Media and Box to Box Films will also be a part of the new venture.
While none of the golfers involved in the show have been announced as of now, several top players are expected to be featured, including "major champions, Ryder Cuppers and some half-dozen of the top 20 in the current World Ranking."
Filming is scheduled to begin in the 2021-22 season.
FedEx Cup Standings 2021: Points Leaderboard Before Tour Championship
Sep 2, 2021
Patrick Cantlay reacts after sinking in his putt on the 18th green, the sixth playoff hole of the final round of the BMW Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The top 30 golfers on the PGA Tour are set to play for the FedEx Cup this weekend at the Tour Championship.
Over the past two weeks, the playoff field was trimmed from 125, and now the best golfers in the world will square off for the $15 million prize at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Patrick Cantlay sits atop the FedEx Cup standings after he won the BMW Championship following a playoff against Bryson DeChambeau. Cantlay's position earned him a two-shot advantage over his closest competition to start the Tour Championship.
The staggered scoring start handed an advantage to the top five players in the FedEx Cup standings, who will all start at six-under or better.
After fifth-place Cameron Smith at five-under, five players were grouped together on the same score based off their FedEx Cup placing. The five men who sit from 26th to 30th are at the biggest disadvantage because they start at even par.
The top five players in the playoff standings earned their positions through high finishes over the past two weeks.
Cantlay beat out DeChambeau to win the BMW Championship, and Tony Finau outlasted Cameron Smith in a playoff at the Northern Trust. Cantlay's victory moved him well above Finau for first place, and his overall consistency on the PGA Tour this season sees him in front by almost 800 points.
The Tour Championship works a bit differently than the previous two playoff tournaments.
For starters, the staggered scoring system allows Cantlay to start with a two-shot cushion over Finau.
Finau, DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Smith all have advantages over the rest of the field. Smith is the lowest starter of the top five at six-under.
The set leaderboard puts Cantlay and the rest of the top five in the best position possible to win the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup, but they still have to play four rounds and win the event.
"At the Tour Championship, the player with the lowest aggregate score over 72 holes when combined with his FedExCup Starting Strokes will win the Tour Championship and also be crowned FedExCup Champion. The Tour Championship win will be considered an official victory and the FedExCup Champion will also earn a bonus of $15 million and a five-year PGA Tour exemption."
A year ago, Dustin Johnson took advantage of his No. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup rankings to win the Tour Championship and the postseason prize.
In 2019, Rory McIlroy shot 13-under at the Tour Championship to move up from fifth to first and capture the FedEx Cup in the then-new format.
Rahm and Xander Schauffele should be viewed as the two biggest threats to Cantlay. Rahm backed up his No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking throughout the season, and he is in some of the best form of anyone in the field.
Schauffele, who starts in 17th place, produced back-to-back second-place finishes at the Tour Championship. A year ago, he turned a 15-under weekend to recover from his low starting position.
Finau, DeChambeau and Smith could all turn in solid rounds as well, but they need to match the consistency that Rahm and Cantlay have displayed all season. Rahm has five straight top-10 finishes. Cantlay, meanwhile, has top-25 finishes in seven of his past eight starts. His only missed cut came at The Open.
