If you look up synonyms for Bryson DeChambeau, “controversial” very well may be one of them. Whether he deserves it or not, it always seems to be following him. The former PGA Tour golfer and major YouTube influence has been one of the most talked about golfers in modern day. Bryson is huge on YouTube, having over 322 thousand subscribers, for his incredible ability to hit the long ball off of the tee. However, most of the talk about him isn’t exactly on the positive side.

It all started during the quarantine caused by COVID-19. During his solitude, he worked hard to gain mass and muscle, which he then used to change the way he golfed. He started using this excess strength to create more torque and power, which created higher ball velocity for more distance on his shots. Many professional golfers dislike how he began to deter from the traditional style of play; however, it doesn’t always have much benefit. There aren’t very many golf courses that allow his extra power and distance to help him use fewer strokes. Additionally, the harder you swing, the less control you have on the ball. Despite the criticism of his game, Bryson is exceptionally gifted on the course and can still precisely place a ball where he wants almost every time.

Perhaps the most notable controversy is his recent transfer to the LIV Golf Tour. Along with many others, Bryson was offered an immense amount of money to join the Saudi-backed LIV tour. Many people who were offered the invite and the money accepted it, leaving the PGA Tour behind; Bryson is one of them. Bryson stated that he did it for the money, which makes sense considering it was more than $125 million he was offered. That is part of why he’s becoming even more controversial. Many people would say that he doesn’t need the money because he already has plenty of it, but it’s way too much to refuse. Another problem is the unethical background of where the money is coming from. The Saudi’s money has been obtained inhumanely, which makes people disapprove of the entire tour. This then makes the public take it out on the players joining the tour. The tour has also drifted away from the country club stereotype of golf, being more lenient about talking, celebrations, and overall noise. Bryson has been getting high amounts of heat because of this extremely controversial tour, but he doesn’t necessarily deserve it.

Bryson DeChambeau is a name you will continue to hear for a long time, but unfortunately, it will most likely be in a negative way. However, he still manages to be in the good graces of many big celebrity role models, including Chris Pratt and Tim Tebow. I hope he can continue to golf the way he chooses to but without all the backlash because you can’t blame someone for taking advantage of a colossal economic opportunity and for playing the sport he loves the way he loves.