Golf’s newest rivalry has an old friendship at its core. While Xander Schauffele basked in the glory of his Open Championship victory last week, his second major title, Bryson DeChambeau couldn’t help but feel inspired by his friend’s remarkable run. What’s behind their strong bond, despite being rivals from different leagues? And sometimes on the course too! 

The 2024 US Open winner was asked about Schauffele’s second major win out of the last three majors, in a pre-tournament presser at LIV United Kingdom. As per ASAP Sports, he praised Xander Schauffele’s incredible talent, saying, “I’ve known Xander since our junior golf days, and he’s always been a standout player. I’ve always thought that if I can beat him, I must be doing something right – he’s that good!” This comment speaks volumes about the friendly rivalry between the two golfers – DeChambeau is motivated by his success and inspired to push himself to new heights.

As he continued, DeChambeau’s enthusiasm only grew. The 9x PGA Tour winner added, “Seeing his career develop and become better over time has been awesome, and for him to win two this year, it’s a groundbreaking year for him“. His admiration for Schauffele’s abilities shines through, and it’s clear he’s genuinely thrilled to see his friend thriving. 

Moreover, he revealed that Schauffele’s success has only fueled his competitive fire, even as they find themselves on opposite sides of golf’s newest divide. “I certainly can’t wait to compete against him in the majors moving forward, and he’s going to be a great competitor,” the 30-year-old said with a grin. But what’s remarkable is how he framed their rivalry as a positive force, driving them both to excel. “It just inspires us all to work a little bit harder because getting two in a year is not easy, and him doing it just shows us we can do it.”

With Bryson DeChambeau leading the charge for LIV Golf and Schauffele firmly entrenched on the PGA Tour, their friendship is now set against a brewing rivalry between the two circuits. In essence, he sees their friendly rivalry as a catalyst for growth, pushing him to raise his game and strive for similar greatness – even as the LIV Golf and PGA Tour rivalry heats up around them. 

Recently, another legend and a LIV golfer had also shown a heartly gesture as Xander Schauffele clinched the Claret Jug in style.

Before Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson had the same stance on the new Open Champion

After Schauffele’s thrilling Open Championship win, Phil Mickelson was quick to praise his incredible performance. “What an amazing round!” Despite being a LIV Golfer, the 6x major champ put aside any differences to congratulate Schauffele on his impressive performance. His win was inspired by Mickelson’s epic battle with Henrik Stenson at Royal Troon in 2016, which he had watched to motivate himself for the tournament.

“I was only able to watch 2016 — actually watched the highlight of Phil and Henrik to motivate myself for this week. I guess that paid off pretty nice,” said the newly crowned Open Champion. Mickelson’s kind words were echoed by DeChambeau on his talent and mental toughness. Their mutual admiration highlights the strong bonds of respect and friendship among golf’s top players, even amidst rivalries and differences.

As Schauffele continues to make his mark on the golf world, he can count on the support and admiration of his peers, including LIV’s Mickelson and DeChambeau. How do you see their chemistry? Let us know in the comments section below.