On Sunday, Jon Rahm and his team secured a dramatic victory for Legion XIII at the 2025 LIV Golf Team Championship, edging out Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC in front of a boisterous Michigan crowd. While the win marked a monumental moment for Rahm and his team, it was DeChambeau’s grace in defeat that ultimately stole the spotlight.

Despite early struggles from Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who each made only one birdie through their first 12 holes, the young stars of Legion XIII kept the team in contention. Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC surged ahead on the back nine, building a five-shot lead all because of collective brilliance from DeChambeau and his team. Bryson DeChambeau, in particular, shot the lowest round of the day with a bogey-free 8-under.

“He didn’t miss one shot… he could have shot lower today,” John Rahm said of DeChambeau, a gracious nod to a fierce competitor. But the Crushers’ dominance wasn’t enough to hold off Legion XIII. Both Rahm and Hatton birdied the final two holes of regulation to force a playoff. And on the second playoff hole, Rahm and Hatton came through with birdies, sealing a $14 million payday for Legion XIII, while Crushers GC took home $8 million as runners-up.

For Bryson DeChambeau, the narrow defeat was no doubt a crushing blow. Yet, despite the loss, DeChambeau stuck around, engaged with fans, and signed autographs even after the closing ceremony had wrapped. His sportsmanship did not go unnoticed, especially considering his controversial relationship with fans in the past.

Earlier in July at LIV Golf UK, DeChambeau made headlines for the wrong reasons when a video went viral of him expressing frustration at heckling fans. “I love the banter up there, but they can’t be saying ‘miss it, miss it, miss it,'” he told a LIV official mid-round. Even at the 2025 Open Championship, DeChambeau sparked backlash for what some called a dismissive response to a volunteer. After the volunteer helped locate his ball in deep rough, DeChambeau responded with a smirk — “You can move out of the way, thank you.” 

But this week, DeChameabu shifted his tone as he embraced the team spirit and had a newfound appreciation for the fans. “Yeah, it was fantastic. There was a lot of people out there supporting. I had a great time interacting with the fans. They were loud, which is good. Today it was fun just seeing their interactions and how positive they were,” DeChambeau confessed after the opening round at the Cardinal on Friday. His attitude in Michigan has represented a notable shift, more so after the team championship concluded on Sunday.

Bryson DeChambeau’s New Outlook Sparks Positive Response From Fans

In a recent post shared by LIV Golf’s official accounts on X and Instagram, a video featuring Bryson DeChambeau was posted with the caption, “Class act from Bryson.” Instead of slipping away from the spotlight after coming short in a dramatic playoff, he stayed behind, signing autographs, smiling for photos, and taking the time to engage with fans, young and old. One fan captured the sentiment perfectly — “Man of the people!! Some ‘pros’ don’t stick around at all, much less after a tough loss.” It wasn’t just appreciation for his performance — it was admiration for his presence, his maturity, and the example he set in defeat.

The praise was widespread and emphatic, as other fans chimed in, “👏 true leader of the game” and “the real deal.” While DeChambeau has been criticized by fans before for his behavior, he has also had instances in the past where he has captured the hearts of fans. Like an instance during the 2025 Masters, where he stopped to sign and interact with fans just minutes before his tee-off on the final day. Or the time at the 2025 U.S. Open, where he was standing on a green near the clubhouse, playing rock-paper-scissors with a young boy outside the ropes.

It’s no wonder that another fan labelled him as “The People’s Champ,” with a comment from LIV’s commentary account adding — “A Superstar and a fantastic ambassador for LIV and Golf in general!” Despite having issues in the past with fans, DeChambeau’s shift in perception towards fans has been building throughout the season. With his class act on Sunday, he has redefined himself in the eyes of many, not just as a dominant golfer, but as a genuine ambassador for the sport.