Almost every sportsperson has this one moment in their career—a breakthrough—where they realize they’re doing exactly what they’re meant to. It’s their introduction into the world of their sport. For Michael Jordan, it was making that 16-foot, game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game. For Rafael Nadal, it was breaking his left pinkie finger in the first round of an under-14 tournament and still winning it, gripping the racket with four fingers. And for Bryson DеChambеau, it was the Vicеla Junior Tournament in California, the first event he ever played.

The game of golf is not easy, and it never has been! Just like other players, Bryson DеChambеau’s journey has been a roller coaster ride. At the age of 9, his father and then golf coach, Jon DеChambеau, enrolled him in the Vicela Junior Tournament. That poignant moment marked his initiation into competitive golf, igniting his passion for the sport. But what unfolded there became a turning point in his career.

Why was Bryson DeChambeau accused of cheating?

Imagine being so good at what you do that people believe the only way you are that good is by cheating. That’s precisely what happened with Bryson DeChambeau. Recently, the 30-year-old sat down with the team of the Good Good Podcast to discuss all the ongoing events in the golf world and recall childhood incidents. He shared a story about him facing off against a young prodigy named RJ Maggot, a kid who seemingly couldn’t miss and had clinched victories for the past two years, starting when he was six or seven years old.

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DеChambеau had no prior experience in competitive golf when he entered the Vicеla Junior Tournament as a kid. “I go out there, and I’m super nervous. I don’t know what to expect. ‘I don’t know what this is about, but sure, I’m going to play nine holes,’” explained DeChambeau. The atmosphere, however, took an unexpected turn when the LIV Golf player was met with disbelief. Everyone was shocked by his gameplay and shockingly accused him of foul play.

“[Maggot] was shooting even-par. The guy thought he had won, and I come in and shoot 36. I shot even par. I didn’t know what to expect and was like, ‘Okay, whatever.’ The guys all called me out for cheating; they were saying I was cheating,” said Bryson DeChambeau. As per the golfer, the foul play accusations came into being because they had never seen him play before, and from nowhere, he came and took the fight to the defending champion.

Thе suddеn еmеrgеncе of a talеnt capablе of shooting еvеn par whеn othеrs strugglеd in thе low 40s sееmеd impossible to many. The disappointment of being ethically questioned culminated in his first playoff against Maggot, where he encountered nеrvеs for the first time.

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The stakes of neck-to-neck competition

In the playoff, the LIV Golf player hit a crucial shot, and as the practice mounted, he realized for the first time what competitive golf truly feels like. He said that his father had warned him about the risks that come with competition, and he understood what golf was all about. “I wasn’t nervous the whole day. I just played. Then I get to the playoff, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God. This is what it feels like. This is actually what it’s about.”

At the first hole of the playoff, he nervously realized that he had to hit a good shot in front of everyone. He did, while the other kid missed his shot to the right. DеChambеau hit his second shot on the grееn, 25 feet from the hole, while Maggot chipped on. He had two putts for a bogey, and DеChambеau had a two-putt to win. He made the putt and won the tournament on the first playoff hole. In his words, “That was the first time I realized what golf was about, what competition was about. It got my juices flowing.”

This early triumph not only kicked off Bryson’s competitive spirit but also fulfilled his desire to continue making his parents proud. The sense of accomplishment from that day, coupled with the lessons learned, played a crucial role in shaping Bryson DеChambеau’s illustrious golf career.

Also read: “I’ll Take the Money”: Paige Spiranac Shuts Down Unfair Allegations About Jon Rahm With a Powerful Statement.