Bryson DeChambeau is back in the spotlight, caught up in another pre-tournament buzz at Bethpage. The only difference this time is that the spotlight has moved from his strong drives to something else: a verbal exchange from Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee.

Just a few days before, Chamblee took a shot at DeChambeau’s impressive YouTube following, calling his 2.43 million subscribers “pretty dubious” and even hinting that “bots are generating a lot of those views.” He then went on to call the two-time major champion an “odd duck” and suggested that he could even be a “captain’s nightmare.”

When faced with these comments during the press conference on Thursday, Bryson DeChambeau responded in a way that was both calm and direct. He casually replied, “Yeah. No, I responded jokingly just a little bit ago, I think it was a couple days ago. I think it’s great. I think any time that people can throw stuff at me like that, I enjoy it. I appreciate it. I think it’s good for ultimately the game of golf because it starts to spur conversation on. Ultimately, on YouTube, you have to be verified to be able to subscribe and whatnot. So I don’t think it’s really that honest or true. But it is what it is. I mean, any time you can say something like that and create more buzz for the game of golf, it’s great.”

The public dismissal of the controversy stands in stark contrast to the full-throated support DeChambeau received from within Team USA. Captain Keegan Bradley really stood up for him, highlighting the “exceptional job” DeChambeau has done to fit in with the team and describing him as “incredible in the team room.”

Bradley pointed out that the team really needs that special “energy from Bryson.” Teammates like Scottie Scheffler have also called him a “tremendous competitor,” and Xander Schauffele even went further, saying that DeChambeau “could be the difference for us” because of how he connects with fans and his “gladiator” style of play.

The support from within, along with the clear excitement from fans at Bethpage, really challenged Chamblee’s idea of DeChambeau as an outsider or a distraction. So, what did the golfer say about teaming up with fellow Americans for this tournament?

Bryson DeChambeau came straight to the point

Bryson DeChambeau shared his thoughts on teaming up with PGA Tour players for the 2025 Ryder Cup, and it was pretty clear he’s all for it. Instead of focusing on any divide between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, he presents the upcoming event as “our show,” highlighting that team spirit and national pride are more important than individual ties or old rivalries.

“I don’t want it to feel like, ‘Oh, I’m playing with this person or that person, or what I want it to be.’ We’re a team. We’re here to win. We’re here to dominate,”  the American golfer said, emphasizing that the pride of his country takes precedence over his own personal preferences. He didn’t make it to the 2023 Ryder Cup, mainly due to his performance and his ties with LIV Golf, but he’s still all in.

The golfer’s comments really highlight something bigger: during the Ryder Cup, the usual league boundaries fade away, and it’s all about coming together for one flag’s success.