Bryson DeChambeau reveals Tiger Woods cut it out and ignored his scripts amid battle of LIV Golf and PGA Tour…but hopes 15-time major champ ‘sees the vision we all have someday’
Bryson DeChambeau has claimed that Tiger Woods has frozen him out amid the ongoing tension between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.
The 2020 US Open champion defected from the traditional circuit to the Saudi-backed series in June last year while Woods was one of the most vocal critics of the breakaway league.
Woods provided inspiration for DeChambeau with the latter previously referring to him as “a mentor, idol and role model”.
But in the run-up to the first major of the year, DeChambeau revealed that old friend Woods had broken up with him.
Asked if anyone has cut ties he told Golfweek’s Adam Schupak: ‘Yes, absolutely. I’m sure you can guess who.
Bryson Dechambeau (left) claimed that his old friend Tiger Woods (right) had frozen him
The two American stars Dechambeau and Woods embraced during the PGA Championship in May last year
DeChambeau confirmed that it was, in fact, Woods before revealing that the 15-time main hero ignored his birthday message.
He continued, “He was a great friend.”
I texted him on his birthday. It is what it is. He has his views on this matter and thinks we may be hurting his record. If anything, no one would ever touch his record.
That’s it, that’s the whole point. There is an opportunity to develop the game further, and I hope one day he will see the vision we all have here.
Greg Norman’s LIV Series has shaken up the golf world and the rivalry between the two tours is expected to dominate headlines at the Masters Tournament, which begins Thursday.
Funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf has relied on nine-figure sums to snatch some of the game’s brightest stars away from the PGA Tour.
The breakaway tour and the PGA have been at odds since the former arrived on the scene amid fanfare and controversy last year.
Since its inception, the dissident league has been accused of being a vehicle for “sportswashing” Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
DeChambeau and Woods are set to battle on the course again next week
DeChambeau and Woods are set to battle on the course again next week at the Masters.
Woods is expected to participate in the major tournament next week after being included in the schedule of the pre-tournament press conference.
He has made it clear that his competitive career will now be limited to a few events a year, a legacy of the February 2021 car accident that left him fearing his right leg would need to be amputated.
