Like clockwork, Koepka takes shot at DeChambeau over caddie change

Jon Helmkamp|published: Thu 1st July, 15:51 2021

Brooks and Bryson during happier times. source: Getty Images

Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka have formed the best, dumbest rivalry in golf since Happy Gilmore and Shooter McGavin, and honestly I’m fully here for all of it. After DeChambeau announced that he and his caddie would be taking a Ross and Rachel-esque break, Koepka made sure to take the opportunity to highlight the strength of his golfer-caddie relationship.

It does, however, remain to be seen if this means DeChambeau is allowed to see other people. I also wonder if his caddie wrote him an 18-page letter — front and back.

It’s the latest in a long string of chatter and trolling between the two golfers dating back to 2019, involving body shaming and comments about pace of play, but it was at the PGA Championship in May that their feud took center stage thanks to one palpable Koepka eye roll.

The two just don’t mix. Koepka goes about his business with a quick pace and serious demeanor, while DeChambeau takes his precious time while attempting to reach the cup from the tee box every time out. Sports are better when there are rivalries, whether between teams or individuals. It provides passion and rooting interest, and draws people in with the drama and the storylines. #TeamBrooks and #TeamBryson are already things. Fans and casual viewers alike have planted their flags and picked sides.

When was the last time you heard a golf fan root against another golfer? This docile, slumbering sport landscape has been missing this passion. No, it’s not quite Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, but it’s a start. It’s providing a layer of intrigue that is good for the game as a whole. If we’re lucky, we’ll hear an average Joe or Joanne at a sports bar say, “Ugh, I can’t stand that Bryson guy.”

These two have a genuine disdain for one another, made even better by the fact that they are two of the best in the world at what they do. Someday soon, they will inevitably be in a final grouping, hopefully for a major. When that day comes, it will be can’t-miss appointment television.

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