Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau ‘Have Not Spoken’ Since LIV Golf Defection

The fast friendship between golf pros Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau seems to have hit a pause after DeChambeau joined LIV Golf.

DeChambeau was asked about Woods during the LIV International at Bedminster in New Jersey last weekend. But he noted that he hadn’t spoken to Tiger since before the LIV announcement.

“I have ultimate respect for what he has to say. For me personally, to be my own human being, I’m going to work even harder to prove the fact that I’m worth the price,” DeChambeau said of Woods, Sports Illustrated reported.

“We have been fairly close and unfortunately we have not spoken, one day we will again, and I am always open for a conversation with anybody,” he said, adding, “I have no problem with it and I hope we can come see eye to eye on it.”

He added that he understands that Woods has to protect himself. “It’s his legacy. I totally understand it. It’s just a little bit of muddy waters right now,” DeChambeau said.

DeChambeau also insisted that LIV wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for Tiger.

“I have high regard for Tiger; look, this wouldn’t be existing if it weren’t for Tiger,” he added, noting that Tiger made golf so popular that he ushered in the conditions that allowed LIV to get a foothold in golf.

Tiger, though, is not impressed by LIV. In July, Woods blasted the Saudi-backed league as detrimental to pro golf.

Woods started out saying that he agreed with the PGA Tour’s decision to ban LIV organizer Gregg Norman from the PGA.

“Greg has done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game, and we’re coming back to probably the most historic and traditional place in our sport,” Woods said of Norman.

Woods added that the golfers who abandoned the PGA are hurting golf.

“The players who have chosen to go to LIV and to play there, I disagree with it,” Woods exclaimed. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position. Some players have never got a chance to even experience it – they’ve gone right from the amateur ranks right into that organization, and never really got a chance to play out here and what it feels like to play a Tour schedule or to play in some big events.”

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