Bryson DeChambeau reveals Tiger Woods cut him off and ignored his texts amid the LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour battle… but he hopes the 15-time Grand Slam champion “sees the vision we all have one day”
Bryson DeChambeau has claimed that Tiger Woods has frozen him out amid the ongoing tension between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.
The 2020 US Open champion defected from the traditional circuit to the Saudi-backed series in June last year, while Woods has been one of the most prominent critics of the breakaway league.
Woods has served as an inspiration to DeChambeau and the latter has previously referred to him as a “mentor, idol and role model.”
But in the buildup to the first Major of the year, DeChambeau revealed that he was cut by old friend Woods.
He was asked if anyone had cut ties to what he said. Adam Schupak of Golfweek: ‘Yes, definitely. I’m sure you can guess who.
Bryson DeChambeau (left) has claimed that his old friend Tiger Woods (right) has frozen him
American stars DeChambeau and Woods embrace during the PGA Championship in May of last year.
DeChambeau confirmed that it was indeed Woods before revealing that the 15-time Grand Slam champion ignored his birthday message.
“He’s been a great friend,” he continued.
I texted him on his birthday. It is what it is. He has his views on this and believes that we are potentially damaging his record. In any case, nobody is going to touch his record.
That’s it, that’s the end result. There’s a chance to grow the game even more, and I hope one day he sees the vision we all have here.”
Greg Norman’s LIV Series has really shaken up the golf world and the rivalry between the two Tours is expected to dominate the headlines at the Masters, which begins on Thursday.
Funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf has relied on nine-figure sums to wrest some of the brightest stars on the PGA Tour from it.
The circuits have been at odds since the first one burst onto the scene amid much fanfare and controversy last year.
Since its inception, the dissident league has been accused of being a ‘sportswashing’ vehicle for Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
DeChambeau and Woods are set to battle it out on the field once again next week.
DeChambeau and Woods are set to battle it out on the field once again next week at the Masters.
Woods is expected to participate in the main tournament after being listed in the pre-tournament press conference schedule.
He has made it clear that his competitive career will now be limited to a handful of events a year, a legacy of the February 2021 car accident that left him fearing his right leg would be amputated.