With the majors in the rearview and the Ryder Cup inching closer, you can already feel the electricity building — and if anyone’s holding the jumper cables right now, it’s Bryson DeChambeau.
Team USA is coming home to Bethpage Black this fall, and that matters. The American side hasn’t lost on home soil in over a decade, and with New York fans packing the galleries, you better believe that advantage just got a little louder.
After years of being on the outside looking in — thanks to his LIV Golf defection and a general sense of unease around team politics — DeChambeau has been officially invited back into the house. Captain Keegan Bradley dropped a note of encouragement in Bryson’s locker at The Open, and later confirmed that Bryson will be on the U.S. squad at Bethpage, even if he doesn’t qualify automatically.
But Bryson isn’t just showing up. He’s targeting one name — Rory McIlroy — and he’s not being shy about it. “I’ll be chirping in his ear this time,” Bryson said at the Happy Gilmore 2 premiere. “If we go up against each other, I mean, you can be sure of it.”
Tension Between DeChambeau and McIlroy is Building
Let’s rewind the tape: Bryson edged Rory at the 2024 U.S. Open when McIlroy collapsed late. Rory flipped the script at the 2025 Masters, outdueling Bryson in the final group to finally complete his career grand slam. That showdown was icy — DeChambeau claimed Rory didn’t say a word to him during the round. Rory shrugged it off. But the tension? Oh, it was very real.
Now add red, white, and blue vs. European blue and gold. Now add the Bethpage crowd, which once heckled Sergio Garcia so hard it became legend. And now imagine Bryson DeChambeau, microphone-ready and drama-approved, calling out Rory and licking his chops for a Sunday singles matchup.
If this showdown happens — and let’s hope it does — it’s going to be electric. No pleasantries. No small talk. Just two heavyweights swinging for legacy in the most chaotic, pressure-cooked team golf event in the world.
