LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau Upset to Not Get a Call From Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson
Although he shot a 58 in the final round to win the LIV Golf Greenbrier event last month, Bryson DeChambeau never seemed to get strong consideration to be part of the U.S. Ryder Cup lineup that was filled out by captain Zach Johnson on Aug. 29.
DeChambeau, who added a victory on Sunday at the LIV Golf Chicago tournament by shooting a final-round 63, said afterward that he was disappointed to not even get a call from Johnson, who chose Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Sam Burns to fill out the 12-man team that is competing against Europe this week at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.
Bryson DeChambeau played for the U.S. Ryder Cup team two years ago at Whistling Straits and was unbeaten at 2-0-1.
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"I am playing better than Winged Foot," DeChambeau said of his 2020 U.S. Open victory. “If you look at it, it would have been nice to at least just have a call. There’s numerous people that I think Zach should have called out here, and we didn’t get that.
"I understand. I get it, but we’re nothing different. We’re still competing. We’re still working super hard to be the best we can possibly be.
"Brooks is obviously going to kill it for Team USA and excited for the team, but it definitely does sting a little bit. Say what you want, we’re still golfers, and I personally could have definitely racked up some points for Team USA."
DeChambeau, 30, has a 2-3-1 Ryder Cup record and was 2-0-1 two years ago in the U.S. victory at Whistling Straits. He was also 0-1-1 at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
On Monday at the first captains' press conference in Rome, Johnson more or less admitted he was not looking at how the players fared in LIV Golf events, which did not earn any Ryder Cup points.
"We have a points system within The PGA of America, within the Ryder Cup USA. It's pretty evident that of how you garner points and which tournaments can accumulate points," he said.
"I basically, you know, I kept at one point—I mean, I have my own probably top 30 but when it got down towards the end of the process, it was the top 20, the top 25 guys in that point system that I felt like had the merit and certainly, well, should have my full attention. That's where I was. I was basically in the top 20, top 25 guys in points when it came down to formulating this Team USA."
Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch were other LIV Golf members who might have warranted consideration.
"I don’t know if it was (Zach Johnson), if it was back-ended or whatnot," DeChambeau said. "I'm not up to make that discussion available. I have no idea what it was or how it was like or who made that decision, but it would have been nice for them to consider us more because we’re pretty damn good out here."