Bryson DeChambeau missed out on Olympics qualification (Image: Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
Golf sensation Bryson De Chambeau may be forced to sit out another Olympic Games, having watched his US compatriot Scottie Scheffler take home the gold medal in Paris. Winning a second US Open title in June was a career highlight for DeChambeau was not enough to secure his place as part of Team USA’s quartet.
The Olympic event was made up of 60 players, with a maximum of four players from the world’s top 15 per country. DeChambeau’s choice to leave the PGA and join LIV Golf in 2022 impacted his Olympic hopes as those events do not count towards the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). While seven LIV Golf players did compete at the Olympics, DeChambeau proved to be sixth in line for the USA.
It will have been a tough blow for the reigning US Open champion, who was denied the chance to compete at the Tokyo Games after testing positive for Covid-19. However, DeChambeau’s wait to realise his Olympic dream could also continue into the 2028 Los Angeles Games unless the PGA and LIV Golf can reach an agreement that would drastically change the sport.
There have been discussions about a potential merger between PGA and LIV, which would benefit DeChambeau’s Olympic aspirations. An announcement was made after the two sides agreed on the framework of a deal last year but the initial December deadline was missed.
Despite being embroiled in a long-running feud, both organisations expressed optimism after a recent meeting in June but a fresh timeline is yet to be outlined.
A joint statement said: “Representatives from the PGA TOUR Enterprises Transaction Subcommittee and the PIF have been meeting multiple times weekly to work through potential deal terms and come to a shared vision on the future of professional golf. On Friday evening, an in-person session in New York City included the entire Transaction Subcommittee and PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and his team, where more progress was made.”
Bryson DeChambeau winning the US Open was not enough to qualify for the Olympics (Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)
The PGA Tour has established a sub-committee to deliberate on the possible merger, which includes top executives and golf icons, such as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Despite showing little sympathy for LIV players who failed to qualify for the Olympics, McIlroy shared his appreciation for the tournament not revolving around staggering prize funds.
“I still think that the Ryder Cup is the best tournament that we have in our game, pure competition, and I think this has the potential to be right up there with it,” McIlroy explained. “I think with how much of a sshow the game of golf is right now and you think about the two tournaments that might be the purest form of competition in our sport, we don’t play for money in it. It speaks volumes for what’s important in sports and what’s important.”
DeChambeau has openly expressed his desire to return to iconic PGA events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Memorial in the future. However, the 30-year-old’s participation in these tournaments, as well as his dream of playing in a US-based Olympics will be largely determined by boardroom decisions.
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While the US quartet of Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Colin Morikawa had the opportunity to battle for Olympic medals this summer, DeChambeau was forced to watch from afar. Reflecting on his failed attempt at qualifying last month, DeChambeau said: “This time around, it’s disappointing but I understand the decisions I made. The way things have played out has not been perfectly according to plan.
“I’ve done my best, up until now, to give myself a chance according to the OWGR [Official World Golf Rankings]. But I realize and respect where the current situation of the game is, and albeit it’s frustrating and disappointing, hopefully, 2028 will be a little different situation.”
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