Bryson DeChambeau has claimed that one aspect of LIV Golf gets completely underestimated by many people after his superb opening round in Korea on Thursday.
DeChambeau is tied for the lead after the first day in Korea. The 32-year-old fired a five under par round of 65 as he looks to defend his title.
He is joined by Charles Howell III and Scott Vincent at the top of the leaderboard.
What Bryson DeChambeau thinks is underrated about LIV Golf
Howell III’s fast start is particularly intriguing. Not only was he the player who pushed DeChambeau further than anyone else at the same event last year – at a different course – but he is also the two-time US Open champion’s teammate.
DeChambeau’s Crushers team take a three-shot lead into the second round.
Of course, there is so much attention on LIV’s future right now. The league is seeking new funding, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia set to withdraw their financial support at the end of the season.
The doubts have to leave a question mark hanging over the future of the teams. Relegation is going to be difficult to enforce if a number of players end up walking away for other reasons.
But it seems that DeChambeau remains optimistic about the future of team golf. Speaking after his first round in Korea, he outlined how important it is to him to be a part of a team.
“There was times where I couldn’t see the team as much as I would have liked to, and so I didn’t know what we were doing. Then I got up here on 18, saw we were leading, and I’m like, I’ve got to get this up-and-down; I don’t just want to have a two-shot lead, I want to have a three-shot lead,” he said.
“It’s huge. I think people underestimate it and I think it’s a lot of fun. You see a lot of people with Crushers hats out here, Fireballs or 4Aces. It’s a bit underrated and people can say what they want about it but I truly believe in it and I think a lot of us out here do. I really care about the game and where I think it can go.”
What the LIV Golf teams could do so much better to make people actually care
Team golf definitely sets LIV apart from the other tours. That is going to become increasingly important as the league enters into a completely different era from next year.
DeChambeau has a fairly unique perspective, too. The Crushers are one of just two teams that have not changed their lineup since the start of the 2023 season.
The Southern Guards are the only other.
That needs to happen a lot more often if LIV is going to be able to make fans really care about each of the teams.
There needs to be much stronger rivalries, and there needs to be so much more logic to the trades that take place.
Obviously, it cannot be forced. But too many players are far too defensive of LIV as a whole, when their loyalties should be to their teammates first and foremost.
