Reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau has accused his former coach of attempted extortion amid counterclaims that the LIV Golf star reneged on an agreement to fund a junior tour named after his late father.
“He’s not going to shake me down for $2 million,” DeChambeau, 30, told Golfweek of his former coach, Mike Schy.
Also at issue is DeChambeau’s omission of Schy’s name when thanking his team and family for last month’s US Open victory.
“Mike’s feelings were hurt,” said DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff. Golf week“That’s ultimately what led to all this.”
The dispute is a major shift for the couple, who worked together until 2018. DeChambeau claims to have paid Schy $1 million for his services, and has even referred to him as “a second father.” Now, however, DeChambeau says Schy is a “disgruntled former employee.”
DeChambeau (left) with Mike Schy (right). The photo still appears on Schy’s Instagram page.
DeChambeau (right) talks with Schy before the third round of the 2016 RBC Heritage Open
News of the disagreement first emerged earlier this week when Schy announced that the Central Valley Jon DeChambeau Memorial Junior Tour would cease operations “due to lack of funding.”
Schy then specifically named his former student as the culprit.
“Bryson has decided that this was not a priority for him and has only offered a loan of money to his father’s namesake,” Schy’s statement reads. “We made every effort to secure alternative financing for 2024 and 2025, but were unable to acquire what was needed to operate and staff the tour. We believed we had the support necessary to operate, but were unable to do so.”
In response, DeChambeau told Golfweek that Schy’s claim is a “complete and utter lie.”
“We’ve had numerous conversations and it just hasn’t worked out from a business standpoint,” said DeChambeau, who had $22 million in PGA Tour earnings before defecting to the LIV tour in 2022 for an estimated $125 million.
“It’s pretty disappointing how he’s manipulated this,” DeChambeau continued. “This was a non-recourse loan. I gave him my father’s name, image and likeness for free assuming we would have a good business plan and it just hasn’t worked out.
“I’m going to do a lot for my community, just in a different way, with a proper business plan and done correctly.”
DeChambeau is riding a wave of popularity heading into this month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. Not only is he coming off a U.S. Open win, but criticism of the Modesto, California native’s controversial transfer to LIV Golf has begun to subside, leading to his renewed acceptance in golf circles and beyond.
And for DeChambeau, Schy’s complaints are simply an attempt to undermine his newfound popularity.
“I’m in a very good place and I’m a big name right now and I’m trying to do the right thing for golf and you guys are trying to damage my image to damage golf,” DeChambeau said. “This isn’t just a story, this is a disgruntled employee, my friend.”
Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC greets a fan during the first round of LIV Golf Nashville
According to Schy, the two came up with the idea for the tour while lamenting the lack of affordable junior tournaments in California.
Schy told Golfweek that when DeChambeau was on the rise, there were about 14 affordable events he could sign up for. Things are considerably different now, though.
“They’re all gone,” Schy lamented. “The two we have charge about $200 to get in.”
In 2023, Schy organized a test run: a few tournaments costing $60 per participant. The events were well received, leading to a few more tournaments at local clubs.
DeChambeau eventually asked Schy how much one more year on tour would cost, and he told Golfweek that his former coach had requested $125,000 for two years. However, Golfweek received a draft of a line of credit that showed the amount was actually $130,000.
The $5,000 discrepancy aside, Schy stressed to Golfweek that DeChambeau was hesitant to part with a six-figure sum.
Mike Schy specifically named Bryson DeChambeau as the reason the tour was ending.
“I know Bryson and I knew he didn’t really want to give the money and I certainly knew he didn’t want to give it for a long period of time,” Schy said.
Later, Schy said, DeChambeau told her he didn’t like nonprofits like the youth tour and needed to make money on her investment.
In response to this claim, Falkoff told Golfweek that the real issue was that the paperwork for the 501-C3 nonprofit was filed incorrectly and, as a result, DeChambeau did not sign any official documents related to the matter.
“It is our understanding that they had initially filed only the certificate of incorporation (not attached) with the California Secretary of State and had not prepared bylaws or any other organizational documents,” Falkoff told Golfweek in an email.
‘It would have been irresponsible for Bryson to advance money to the Tour entity before completing and signing the relevant paperwork.’
Crushers GC’s DeChambeau reacts after his putt on the 15th green of a LIV event
Falkoff goes on to accuse Schy of demanding $2 million following DeChambeau’s victory at the US Open last month.
“Mike says, ‘It’s time for Bryson to open his checkbook and get paid,'” Falkoff recalled to Golfweek. “I want $2 million.”
“I talked to Bryson about that,” Falkoff continued. “He said, ‘I’m not going to pay you almost 50 percent of my U.S. Open earnings, that’s not going to happen.'”
Schy did not dispute the $2 million request and told Golfweek he has a list of demands that includes reinstatement of a $60,000-a-year contract for the rest of his life.
He also wants an apology from DeChambeau.
“If you’re not going to acknowledge anything I’ve done for you, then Mike Schy is going to have to take care of Mike Schy,” he said.
Schy claims he was offered a severance package on July 2 that he said was worth “a few dollars,” but was also asked to sign a confidentiality agreement, which angered him.
“I felt offended,” Schy said.
DeChambeau says he offered Schy $300,000. Schy says he was offered “a few bucks”
Informed of Schy’s response, DeChambeau told Golfweek: “Oh, $300,000 is an insult? Really? For not working with him since 2018?”
“I’m trying to take care of him like a good man,” DeChambeau added. “It’s unfortunate that he had to get into this position to try to take me down. You know what? It is what it is. But it’s not true, not one bit.”
The veteran golf coach says DeChambeau retaliated by firing Schy’s son, David, who was “building a putting green in (DeChambeau’s) backyard.”
DeChambeau explained the decision by saying, “We needed a clean break.”
“Having some connection to him after he tried to extort me was necessary,” DeChambeau said.
Schy also accused DeChambeau of mistreating her late father, who passed away in 2022.
He said I’m his second father, right? Schy said.
“He treats me just like his real father. He treated his father like shit.”