It was one of those moments where a casual remark suddenly makes everyone stop and think, “Wait… what did you just say?” In the middle of an easygoing exchange, a PGA Tour pro revealed personal news; then couldn’t resist aiming a nod at Dustin Johnson and Paulina Gretzky, the couple whose nearly decade-long engagement is still one of golf’s most talked-about love stories.

It all began innocently enough. The conversation started with a debate about social media, wondering which is more valuable, Instagram or TikTok. Daniel Berger was clear about where he stands. “I’m definitely not like an Instagram guy like some of these other people. I know you don’t respond to DMs. I don’t respond to DMs. I don’t really post that much. I don’t know. It just could take up a lot of your time,” he told Dan Rapaport, explaining that social media often feels disconnected from real life and can take attention away from more meaningful things. And then in a surprising moment, Daniel unexpectedly revealed something he had never shared on social media.

“Like my fiancé says it’s like TikTok. She compares YouTube to TikTok and I’m like it’s like male TikTok,” he said, showing a rare glimpse into his personal life. Until that moment, most of the audience didn’t even know Daniel Berger was engaged — he’s usually someone who stays out of the spotlight, rarely posting or sharing private details, making this revelation all the more unexpected. During their chat, Dan asked, “When are you getting married?” Daniel smiled and replied, “No date yet, just a long engagement.” What came after this was unexpected.

“Not quite as long as like a Dustin Johnson engagement,” Berger said with a grin. At the time, he and his fiancée, Victoria Slater, a marketing professional and Florida Atlantic University graduate, had been engaged for nearly two months. Johnson and Paulina Gretzky’s engagement, by contrast, became one of the most talked-about in golf. Johnson proposed on August 18, 2013; two years later, they welcomed their first son, followed by a second in 2015. In 2018, Gretzky removed all photos of Johnson from her Instagram, sparking breakup rumors. Through the ups and downs, they eventually married in 2022, nearly nine years after the proposal.

Not only is this another golf community, but a couple has a long engagement, Will Zalatoris and Caitlin Sellers. The couple, college sweethearts, got engaged in April 2021 but didn’t tie the knot until December 2022. So yeah, long engagements aren’t unusual in the golf world.

While Berger’s personal life is flourishing with his recent engagement to Slater, his on-course performance has struggled, with inconsistent scores and missed cuts.

Battling Inconsistency on the Course, Berger Hopes for a Comeback

Daniel Berger’s game has had its ups and downs since his last win at the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. This season has been challenging, with only two top-10 finishes and no victories so far. He’s already missed four cuts, and last year was even tougher, as he failed to make the cut in 11 of the 27 events he played. Scores have been inconsistent, and his performance has often looked far below the level fans expect from a player of his caliber. It’s been a reminder that even the most talented golfers can struggle to regain their rhythm after a slump.

There was hope that this season might mark a comeback for Daniel Berger, but it hasn’t materialized in the regular events. His best performance came at the WM Phoenix Open, where he carded five birdies and finished 4-under to tie for second, giving fans a glimpse of his potential. However, the optimism was short-lived. At the recent first playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Berger struggled badly, tying for 68th and barely making the cut.

After teasing a return to form at the WM Phoenix Open, Berger’s struggles at the FedEx St. Jude Championship show that the season’s comeback story is far from over.