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Debate

Is Bryson DeChambeau making the right call by snubbing Justin Thomas for Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka?

All four members of Bryson DeChambeau faced huge disappointment on the second day of the LIV Golf Team Championship. They lost 0-3 to Kevin Na’s Iron Heads, heading into the finale of the team event. The most shocking loss was that of the captain himself against Danny Lee. The 2-time US Open winner got a taste of match play, which he will miss at the Presidents Cup, and lost 2 down. It was a crushing blow, as Crushers GC were the team standings leaders but are now out of the race to win the $50 million event.

However, DeChambeau still believed, rightfully so, that he was better than many golfers, particularly those on the PGA Tour. Golf Digest posted a fun video with DeChambeau, where the 31-year-old was asked to stay silent until he heard the name of a better player. The game started with his teammate, Paul Casey, as the first golfer, but DeChambeau remained silent. He clearly believed he had better form than Casey in 2024. The host then moved on to PGA Tour pros.

Jason Day, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Matt Fitzpatrick, and even Justin Thomas were not the players that the 2-time major winner considered better than him. But as soon as Brooks Koepka was in the picture, DeChambeau exclaimed, “Oh, yes.” Despite their past dramatic and entertaining feud, the 2-time LIV Golf winner acknowledged that with 5 majors, Koepka was better. He also agreed that LIV Golf debutant and Individual Champion Jon Rahm was better than him as well.

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DeChambeau overlooking the PGA Tour pros isn’t just because they are from the other side, but because he has had a better season than them. Only looking at the three majors (he missed The Open cut), DeChambeau’s results—T6 at the Masters, T2 at the PGA Championship, and a win at the US Open—show that he performed better than most. But did Koepka and Rahm have better results in the majors? Let’s take a look.

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What were Koepka and Rahm’s majors like compared to Bryson DeChambeau?

When Bryson DeChambeau teed off at Pinehurst No. 2, the Crushers GC captain was riding the momentum he had gained from the previous two majors. Meanwhile, Brooks Koepka struggled to make it inside the top 10 and eventually finished T26. It was a similar story at the PGA Championship, with an identical score.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Bryson DeChambeau making the right call by snubbing Justin Thomas for Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka?

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The 5-time major winner’s worst major was the Masters, where he posted 73-73-76-75 for a T45 finish. At the last major of the year, The Open at Royal Troon, Koepka made the cut but finished T43. He regarded the season as being a disappointment because of his major results.

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On the other hand, Jon Rahm was the defending champion at the Masters. However, he couldn’t salvage his round at Augusta National and finished T45. The Spaniard missed the cut at Valhalla and didn’t play in the US Open all after being advised by the doctors due to his foot infection. How did he fare at The Open? His performance at Royal Troon was a stark contrast to his previous two majors, as he finished T7.

From this perspective, DeChambeau had a better run in the majors than Koepka and Rahm, though both won more LIV Golf events than him, with two victories each. In recent years, both players have outperformed the 2-time US Open winner, racking up more wins. Therefore, DeChambeau acknowledging Koepka and Rahm as better makes sense, even though he played better in the majors. What do you think? Is there a player you believe was better than DeChambeau? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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