OAKMONT, Pa. — The most interesting man in golf was at it in full force on Tuesday in advance of this week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Bryson DeChambeau, the defending champion, opined on a number of topics, including the state of his LIV Golf contract, revealing that it ends next year.
“We’re looking to negotiate end of this year, and I’m very excited,” DeChambeau said. “They see the value in me. I see the value in what they can provide, and I believe we’ll come to some sort of resolution on that. I’m super excited for the future. I think that LIV is not going anywhere.”
He said he’s bullish on the team aspect growing.
“Whether everybody believes in it or not, I think it’s a viable commercial option,” DeChambeau said. “We’re starting to grow and move in the right direction, just like TGL. TGL has done a great job. They’ve got some teams that are making some money, and I believe there is a sustainable model out there.
“How it all works with the game of golf, who knows, but I know my worth. I know what LIV brings to the table. And I’m excited for the future of what golf is going to be.”
Among the things DeChambeau spoke about was (of course) his ever-evolving search for the perfect equipment.
After the PGA Championship, DeChambeau hinted that he was going to turn up to Oakmont with some new stuff, and he’s indeed turned up with new irons this week. He was having issues at Quail Hollow with hooking his irons.
“I’ve optimized it a little bit more, so hopefully that helps with those overdraws in my irons,” he said. “They seem to have helped this week, and hopefully it aids for me this week. The golf ball is a longer discussion. That’s going to be a bit of time. I’m still working on it. We think later this year I’ll have a golf ball that will be very interesting to test.
“I’m excited to keep researching and trying and experimenting and optimizing,” he went on. “My goal right now is just to optimize myself to another level, and if I can’t, so be it. If I can in some areas, great.”
Asked what he’d be doing for a living if he weren’t playing golf, DeChambeau said, “I’d be in a research lab, something like that. I would say I’d probably be doing something around biomechanics.
“I’m working with Sportsbox AI right now, so I’d probably be doing something around the biomechanics and how AI integrates into it and just researching more of the body and how it works most repeatably and most consistently and how to become healthier as well, something along those lines.”
DeChambeau, who’s revolutionized the YouTube golf platform, was also asked if any of his playing partners have asked him for advice on how to build their own platform.
“Phil Mickelson has been one of the only ones to do that,” he said. “He sees that as also a viable option for commercialization, the future, inspiration, education, entertainment. He did a short-game series back in the day. He knows what teaching means to the public.
“It’s so funny because he’s taught me a bunch in short game, so we kind of exchange ideas in that role. He teaches me a couple things out of the bunker and wedges, and I’m like, ‘All right, here’s something we do for our channel that makes it a little more interesting.’ It’s fun.”