Bryson DeChambeau Won’t Be Pleased With Rory McIlroy’s Takedown of Golfing Methods He Has Perfected

Bryson DeChambeau is not your average golfer. And why would he be? With a degree in physics, the Californian has gained notoriety for his pain-sticking approach to golf. One notable example was his use of irons all set to the same length as his favorite 7-iron, allowing him to easily replicate the same swing. Dubbed the “Mad Scientist” for his scientific approach to golf, DeChambeau is definitely one of the most notable names to embrace technology in golf. However, his fellow pro Rory McIlroy doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for golf tech, which adds to their recent conflicts.

What conflicts? Well, take the 2025 Masters, for instance. Following the Sunday round, DeChambeau hinted fresh rivalry between McIlroy and himself with his statement, “Didn’t talk to me once all day.” McIlroy followed it up with “We’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try to be his best mate out there.” During the 2025 LIV Golf Korea, DeChambeau dismissed his argument and said McIlroy failed to do his “duty,” as “it’s my duty, as not only a professional golfer, but a bit of an entertainer to interact and be as authentic as I possibly can be.”

And McIlroy’s recent comments are likely to add fuel to the fire. Currently gearing up for the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, the Irishman’s answer to “how your game would have suited in the ’70s and ’80s?” was a little interesting. Rory McIlroy said, “Yeah, I mean, I’d like to think of myself more as an artist than a scientist when it comes to the game. But I think in this generation at this point with TrackMan and biomechanics and all the technological advances, I think — again, I think my perception of myself as an artist.

“But I think with the way the game has went over the last 20 years, we are probably are more scientists than we are artists. I’d like to think that I have the game or adaptability to do well in that era with that equipment.” TrackMan uses Doppler radar to track the trajectory of the golf ball and the swing of the club, providing data that helps improve swing mechanics and informs club selection.

Interestingly, McIlroy is a little more open-minded when it comes to the use of tech in TGL. Ahead of the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM, McIlroy said of the TGL tech, “I brought my GC Quad, I brought my TrackMan. Obviously hitting balls into the screen and every number was virtually identical. That put my concerns to bed, which was really good.” So, is it a case of selectively embracing tech in golf? Probably.

But, of course, Rory McIlroy’s stance on golf tech is vastly different than that of Bryson DeChambeau, who wants “to change the game.” DeChambeau has been an early adopter of tech, starting his work with Microsoft Azure in 2016 on grip pressure analysis. He has invested in the 3D training system Proteus and recently partnered with Sportsbox AI, which contributed to his 2024 U.S. Open victory. In fact, his love for technology is so immense that he (and his LIV Golf team) recently joined hands with a $175B giant.

Bryson DeChambeau joins hands with Qualcomm for tech-centric golf

Bryson DeChambeau’s LIV Golf team, Crushers GC, has solidified its connection to technology with the announcement of a multiyear sponsorship deal with the $175B giant Qualcomm, a move that aligns the sport’s most tech-savvy golfer with a leading brand. As reported by SBJ last month, Qualcomm’s branding will feature on all Crushers GC apparel and in team activations, while DeChambeau will engage in content creation.

During a video call from LIV Golf’s upcoming tournament in Andalucia, Spain, DeChambeau discussed his collaboration with Qualcomm engineers to utilize Snapdragon processors for enhanced data capture and analysis on the course, particularly focusing on the putting green where he is already developing technology. He emphasized the need for Qualcomm’s expertise to create a compact product that integrates hardware and software, mentioning ongoing projects related to putting and AI integration for golf swings.

Bryson DeChambeau aims to unify various technologies, leveraging Qualcomm’s communication expertise to improve data transmission and processing from cameras, sensors, and other inputs. He noted, “There’s quite a few synergistic relationships that I have where we’re trying to roundhouse this and [go] full steam ahead with some new tech in an ecosystem that has been quite stagnant for a long time,” adding, “Man, AI is going to throw a quite big wrench in the whole ecosystem of golf.”

Is that a reminder to golfers like Rory McIlroy that golf tech is here to stay? Likely!