“He’s an odd duck when he’s trying to blend in with the team, and he has so many potential bulletin board mistakes, and I think he would be a captain’s nightmare,” said Brandel Chamblee, pushing the narrative that Bryson DeChambeau wouldn’t fit the Team U.S. dynamic. He also claimed that the LIV Golf pro doesn’t care about the Ryder Cup. As much as he hates LIV Golf, Chamblee had his reasons to make the claims, and he explained them. But he was soon met with a lot of backlash.

Keegan Bradley and Team U.S. weren’t going to let this slide. During their public appearance at Bethpage on Tuesday, the squad stood strong by DeChambeau, showing their support for their teammate. Seeing that made Amanda Balionis happy as she shared an Instagram story with a caption, “I’m loving how Team USA is rallying around Bryson DeChambeau and fighting the external narrative. Chemistry and unity are high this year, and it’s cool to see.” After watching what Chamblee had said, Balionis’s response really inspired Paige Spiranac, and she also joined the conversation.

In her latest tweet, the golf diva wrote, “Brandel saying Bryson is a ‘captain’s nightmare’ is such a weird take. He’s the perfect person for this type of team event. He gets the people going! It will be fun to watch his matches this week.” There is no question that DeChambeau is one of the most popular golfers in the world. He is one of the most recognised figures in the sport, along with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler. And he undoubtedly drives a lot of young fans to watch the sport.

But popularity won’t win Keegan Bradley points at Bethpage. Even if Bryson DeChambeau has the support of Team U.S., the captain still needs to pick players who will help them gain maximum points. And while Brandel Chamblee’s opinion about the LIV Golf pro might be cruel, other analysts have also suggested how the Crushers GC captain might be a bad pairing for some matches.

Should Bryson DeChambeau be picked for every match just because he “gets the people going”?

It’s not just about bringing the fans in, but also about ensuring that they love what they see. And what the fans in New York would love to watch after spending big money on tickets and merchandise is for Team U.S. to win the Ryder Cup. And as Luke Donald has already warned everyone, the spectators at Bethpage might cause a riot if that doesn’t happen. So, it’s critical for Keegan Bradley to have the right strategy in place to ensure Team U.S. gets the maximum points from every match. And playing Bryson DeChambeau in every match might not be the best idea.

As harsh as Brandel Chamblee might have been, he simply stated exactly what another analyst also said. Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel said, “I think Bryson DeChambeau, we should not expect to see him in the alternate shot (foursomes). He plays a golf ball that nobody else really plays on the Tour. That’s a hurdle the captain probably doesn’t want to get past. You’re going to relegate him on some level to four ball.”

As exciting as it might be for the fans to watch DeChambeau play, having him play foursomes will mean creating a problem for his pairing. While many have suggested Cameron Young plays a similar ball, he will still have to adapt to the exact configuration and setup of the LIV Golf pro. There is a reason DeChambeau hasn’t played the match type in both the Ryder Cup appearances he has made in 2018 and 2021. So it’s vital that Keegan Bradley thinks tactically and ensures that Team U.S. has the best possible chance of winning the maximum points, even if he has to demote Bryson DeChambeau to limited matches in the end.