Brooks Koepka expresses regret over Bryson beef

It’s been a few years now that serious details have emerged in the rivalry between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.

Much of that can be attributed to the unexpected circumstances that led the two to share their common interests: Their shared commute to LIV Golf, and the sudden adjustment of their professional motivations. Brooks and Bryson may have made strange bedfellows in those early days of LIV, but they were part of a war tour, so there was no time to argue over details.

The years that followed the first entry into LIV seemed to soften the relationship between them. Koepka dropped barbs that never seemed to miss a beat, and Bryson went out of his way to speak kindly of fellow LIV. A Compare-as broadcast pitted two golfers against each other, but the broadcast produced dialogue that sounded less like dirty trash talk and less like an argument between bitter rivals. Then the calendar turned to the fall of 2024, and suddenly there was news that Bryson and Brooks would compete. togetherin the hilariously named Crypto.com Showdown, against the PGA Tour duo of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

All of that led us to Tuesday, when two LIV representatives joined the press conference call to answer questions before the made-for-TV game, which will be broadcast in Las Vegas on December 17. It didn’t take long for Koepka and DeChambeau. being asked about their sharing, ermhistory.

“I’ve always respected Brooks and what he’s done,” DeChambeau said. “Obviously we didn’t understand each other at first. It’s a pretty rocky relationship.”

Rocky is a single adjective. Disrespect may be more accurate. The beef started in 2019, when the two were paired at a tournament in Dubai and DeChambeau… the patient the pace of play led Koepka to speak up during a subsequent podcast interview. It continued until 2020, when Bryson’s ‘Incredible Bulk’ era led to a social media war about body image. The pair shared bromides for several months until, at the 2021 PGA Championship, the Internet caught fire with Koepka’s now-famous eye roll video. Tensions flared at the Memorial Tournament that year, where fan taunts led to week-long stories about hooliganism, and the ejection of a small contingent.

Koepka, whose press conference appearances often range from controversial to controversial, had time to reflect on the honest-to-goodness.

“We all grow up, we all grow up a little bit, and then you see, Hi, Bryson is a good friend,” Koepka said. “I think he’s misunderstood, and I think the world is starting to see who Bryson DeChambeau is, which is great. I’m the first person to admit this: I was wrong about what I thought at first.”

For his part, Bryson also looks back on the past in the reconciliation curve.

“We had our differences, but when we both went to LIV, we realized we had a few things in common,” DeChambeau said. “Like adopted children, in a sense. We have built a strong relationship and we respect each other now.”

Well, there you have it—a story perfect for the holiday season: Peace on earth and goodwill to man.

Bryson and Brooks, friends again. God bless us, everyone.