LIV Golf brought a new wave to the world of golf. But apart from its increased prize money and relaxed schedule, the lucrative Tour also has brought a positive change in the relationship between Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Though, both golfers were bitter rivals for many years, is their newfound friendship forced by their contracts with the Saudi-funded Tour?

With Koepka currently eyeing his 5th Major title at the 2023 PGA Championship, the event also marked an unusual outing for the golfer. During the third round at the Oak Hill Country Club, Koepka was paired with his longtime rival DeChambeau.

Though a year ago, the duo playing 18 holes together would have broken the internet, the heat among American golfers may have iced out. Have the golfers finally found a truce between each other or are they obliging to their LIV Golf contracts?

Is LIV Golf forcing Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau to be friends?

When golfers from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf compete in a Major, they are usually compared with each other based on the Tour their representing. For instance, at last month’s Masters, though PGA Tour’s Jon Rahm won the Green Jacket, it was Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson’s stellar performance that gave the lucrative Tour a moral victory at Augusta National.

Nonetheless, during the third round of the PGA Championship, Koepka and DeChambeau seemed to be on the same page despite having a long-time fierce rivalry. One of the assumptions for their truce could be their exorbitant LIV Golf contracts. Both Brooks and Bryson are one of the highest earners in the Saudi-funded Tour, with signing bonuses worth $100 million and $125 million respectively. However, with hefty checks also comes stubborn rulings.

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A few months ago, some of the clauses from a LIV Golf contract were released. It stated that all golfers must mandatorily compete in all LIV events, must wear the LIV Golf gear even in Majors and if the player wants to terminate his contract, he needs to pay double, triple, or even four times the signing bonus back to the lucrative Tour. Perhaps, maintaining peace among fellow golfers could also be a clause in LIV Golf’s contracts, hence proving the newly found friendship between Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

Though both the stars had spent many years together on the PGA Tour, they never felt like squashing their beef. However, less than a year after their jump to the Breakaway Tour, former US Open winners have decided to start on a new page. The indication of their new bond wasn’t concluded by being paired together at Oak Hill Country Club. Instead, Koeoka himself confirmed that the LIV duo have settled their heated past.

Fresh beginning for Brooks and Bryson

The American duo’s internal catfight began back in 2019 when Koepka accused DeChambeau of slow play. The heated exchange continued for years to follow on the course and even off of it. However, in 2021, the now-LIV Golfers seemed to have found the grey line when they won the Ryder Cup together for Team USA.

A few months later, the duo was headlined to compete in the fourth edition of ‘The Match’. While many expected Koepka’s win in the exhibition game would end their feud, the cold war among the golfers continued. Nonetheless, in 2022, both Bryon DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka decided to join the Saudi-funded LIV Golf just a few days apart.

It was their move to the newly founded Tour which was a blessing in disguise for the defectors. “We talked it out. We hashed it out”, said Brooks Koepka during his appearance on the recent episode of the ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast. He further added, “I think with all the loose stuff we kind of had to had to come together. So we’re good”.

Whether it was their stringent LIV contracts that made Koepka and DeChambeau reached a consensus in their relationship or was it their own choice to find a truce, either way, it’s great to see both talented golfers squashing their beef. Moreover, with Ryder Cup set to be competed later this year, perhaps both LIV stars can show the world how much their chemistry has transitioned by successfully retaining Team USA’s title.

What are your thoughts on Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau’s newfound friendship? Let us know in the comment section below.

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