Bryson DeChambeau Says Feud with Brooks Koepka is 'All Real'
Hype, History, Hullabaloo surround the Bryson vs. Brooks Vegas Showdown
Following separate media video sessions Monday prior to Capital One’s “The Match” at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, both Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau confirmed that they don’t like each other. Either that or they are taking a page out of the very successful Las Vegas mega-fight promotion playbook.
Following the Ryder Cup, when Brooks and Bryson hugged it out during the American team’s victory celebration, it seemed to be a symbol that that their feud was subsiding as they prepared for Capital One’s “The Match” in Las Vegas, scheduled for Friday at Wynn Las Vegas at 4 p.m. EST and live on TNT.
But after witnessing the media availability of the two leading up to the big event, it appears they truly don’t like each other. If there was any softening of the relationship, the words uttered by each on Monday could possibly take their dislike to whole ‘nother level.
The other alternative is that they have become seasoned hype men spewing made-for-TV rhetoric to drive eyeballs to the post-Thanksgiving grudge match. After all, the match will be played in Las Vegas, the fight promotion capital of the world. The manner in which Koepka and DeChambeau spoke on Monday would make combat sports legends and grade-A promotors Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor very proud.
“The Match” may still be a couple days away, but the theatrics and Vegas-style “pre-fight” promotion is very much in full swing.
“I think I've said it like 10 different times, I mean, I've never really liked him,” Koepka said. “… He said that stuff to (my caddie) Rick and I just thought it was crap. You don't go ask my caddy to go say something to me; come find me. Don't be a little baby about it. I think he's learned his lesson.”
Thousands of words could be written about the feud and what started it and where it stands. It’s a bit confusing to completely understand its genesis. It’s also safe to wonder if all of the talk is 100 percent real or is it mostly hyperbole used to drive interest on social media and more television viewers.
“No, it's real,” said DeChambeau, when asked what percentage of the discussion is real and what is hype. “This is all real from my end, at least. It's disgusting the way the guy has tried to knock me down. There's no need for it in the game of golf. He has been trying to knock me down at every angle, every avenue, every way. For what reason? I don't know. Maybe it's because he's jealous. The (PIP money) is probably a part of it because it was kind of squashed earlier this year until the PIP program was announced. It was like, ‘whoa, all right, why is he trying to do this?’”
The “PIP” reasoning mentioned by DeChambeau refers to the PGA Tour’s $40 million dollar Player Impact Program that measures publicity, promotion and social media presence for players. The top 10 at year’s end receive a hefty bonus, and Koepka’s social media posts about DeChambeau have most assuredly moved the needle.
