Maybe the rivalry between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, one of the best in recent golf history, isn’t dead after all.
The two superstars have shared an up-and-down, antagonistic relationship over the course of their careers. And after appearing to bury the hatchet on LIV, it seems as if Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour might have rekindled the fire. At least that’s what the five-time major champion’s latest Instagram comment makes it look like.
Brooks Koepka Tweaks Bryson DeChambeau With 2-Word Dig
Koepka on June 29 fired off a sharp, two-word reply to an Instagram post highlighting a recent DeChambeau video explaining his struggles in majors this season.
Under the post, Koepka’s brief message packed a punch: “Cool story,” he said in reply to a post from Zire Golf about DeChambeau’s video.
The remarks are presumably in good fun. Cameras caught Koepka and DeChambeau catching up at the PGA Championship, and Koepka seems like he’s in a good place following his return to the PGA Tour.
However, he also got in one other dig. When one commenter suggested they have a YouTube match, Koepka directed the fan toward his 2021 made-for-TV match with DeChambeau. Koepka beat the brakes off DeChambeau, 4&3, in the 12-hole exhibition.
Revisiting Brooks Koepka-Bryson DeChambeau Rivalry
The rivalry dates back the better part of a decade at this point. Koepka has never been afraid to speak his mind, and back in 2019, when he was at the peak of his powers, he let it fly.
Koepka chastised slow play at a time when DeChambeau was a poster boy for pace of play, and that led to the infamous putting green showdown between Koepka’s caddie, Ricky Elliott, and DeChambeau in 2019.
A few months later, DeChambeau, perhaps trying to play along and feed the rivalry, went on a Twitch stream and trolled Koepka over his appearance in the ESPN the Magazine Body Issue. DeChambeau said Koepka “didn’t have any abs,” allowing Koepka to come back over the top.
Koepka replied to the then-majorless DeChambeau with a photo of his then-four major trophies, saying, “You were right (DeChambeau) I am 2 short of a 6 pack.”
The rivalry continued into the summer of 2020, with some barbs — mostly from Koepka — before DeChambeau won the US Open that fall (after the COVID pause) at Winged Foot.
The best moment, the most meme-able interaction, came at the 2021 PGA Championship. The eyeroll heard round the world took golf Twitter by storm when Koepka had a visceral reaction to DeChambeau walking by him. The Golf Channel clip wasn’t from a live hit and wasn’t intended to be seen, but it was eventually leaked, leading to the firestorm.
It still didn’t stop there, as Koepka kept it up throughout the summer. Some even wondered whether it got to a point where he was bullying DeChambeau, most notably teaming up with Michelob to give beer to fans ejected from a tournament for heckling DeChambeau.
After a few more barbs, the thawing finally began at the 2021 Ryder Cup where the duo helped lead Team USA to a historic win. A month later, they had their version of The Match, and eventually, they both found common ground as early members of LIV.
Brooks Koepka Trolls Bryson DeChambeau Amid Major Slump