Bryson DeChambeau’s chapter as a young prodigy on the circuit was mesmerizing. The boy from Modesto, California announced himself to the world with breathtaking performances that helped him gain a few accolades on the way. But did you know that DeChambeau was accused of cheating in his very first golf tournament? The 29-year-old now looks back on the incident and expresses his past emotions.

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A 9-year-old Bryson DeChambeau accused of cheating

Bryson DeChambeau was on Golf Digest’s special, The Drop Zone, talking about his life on and off the field. In the interaction, DeChambeau shared a touching moment from the early days of his golf career. It was his first experience in a junior golf tournament, at the tender age of 9.

Read more: ‘We’re Glad You’re Gone’: Golf World Reacts to Bryson DeChambeau’s Unapologetic Comments

“Ever since I was nine years old, playing in my first junior golf tournament…. There’s this kid [that] I’ll never forget that was supposed to win every single year, he’d won from like age 6 all the way up to 9,” DeChambeau said.

The 2020 US Open winner was also a part of that event, entering his first-ever junior competition. “I came in as my first tournament ever right, nobody knew about me,” he said. “I go play and shoot even par…. And we beat the field by quite a bit. But this kid also shot even par and they thought that I had cheated. They’re like, there’s no way he’s playing his first tournament and he shoots even par.”

A young DeChambeau was obviously hurt by the accusations, but his father’s words and mental resilience gave him strength for the playoff round. “So I went into a playoff and I wound up, beating him in the first hole,” he exclaimed. “I was super-nervous as well but I had really good success early on in winning tournaments and being under-pressure and being able to execute.”

DeChambeau credited his dad for keeping a grasp on the intensity of the situation, claiming that his words on staying focused held him together in the most difficult of times.

DeChambeau’s exploits at the junior level

Teeing up and winning his first tournament as a nine-year-old must be special, but DeChambeau was unstoppable. He piled on victories in junior tournaments and set new records at an amateur level. At 21, he joined a coveted list of players to win the NCAA individual title and US Amateur in the same season. Though his professional career hasn’t carried the same steam, DeChambeau will be hoping to make a mark on the brand-new LIV season.

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