Bryson DeChambeau shared a bit of caddie news on Monday during his press conference on the eve of The Match IV.
He won’t be using one.
“The golf carts are the caddies,” said DeChambeau, who will team up with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers against Phil Mickelson and another NFL legend, Tom Brady, in the latest installment of the made-for-TV match series on Tuesday at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.
It was DeChambeau’s first time talking publicly since splitting with his longtime caddie, Tim Tucker, the day before his title defense at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. DeChambeau missed the cut at Detroit Golf Club, and he bypassed his media obligations both days.
Before Golf Digest’s Tod Leonard could even finish the first question to DeChambeau on the call of a few gathered reporters, DeChambeau was quick to play it cool.
I know things have been rough…
“Rough? What are you talking about?” DeChambeau interjected. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Rodgers chimed in, too: “Get ‘em, Bryson.”
Instead, DeChambeau spent the majority of the call talking about the upcoming matchup and the trash talk and the altitude (over 7,000 feet).
“For me, it’s just going to be hitting as many bombs as possible,” he said. “On this golf course at this elevation, I’m going to try to hit as many greens as possible that are 400-plus [yards].”
Bryson just needs to ‘suck it up’ with the media
DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff, told GolfChannel.com last week that the split was mutual.
“They had a good run, and they mutually agreed yesterday afternoon to go their separate ways,” Falkoff said. “Everything runs its course. Tim was getting tired and Bryson was getting tired. In any relationship they run their course, and that’s what happened here. It wasn’t one specific issue. It was a culmination. Like any caddie-player relationship, they had their ups and downs. They wish each other nothing but the best and will always be there for each other.”
And Tucker spoke briefly with Golfweek last week via text, saying, “I love the kid. Hardest worker I have ever seen. Proud to have been his caddie. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win Rocket Mortgage. He is hitting it great.”
But DeChambeau, who is just a week away from The Open at Royal St. George’s, has yet to even address the breakup, let alone offer his perspective on the reason – or reasons – why.
It’s unlikely he’ll shed any light on the elephant in the room on Tuesday, which means he’ll likely be welcomed to England by a flurry of questions regarding the matter.
“I think it’s a unique opportunity for us to showcase a little bit different side of everybody,” DeChambeau said of The Match. “… I think it’s a way to showcase something pretty unique and cool that a lot of people don’t get to see on a daily basis. They just see us working in our environments, and they don’t get to see us interact and have fun.”
Mickelson, who took part in a separate call on Monday, spoke highly of his hard-hitting opponent’s game but also his personality and character.
“He has a very kind heart that is thoughtful toward others,” Mickelson said. “It’s why he’s doing The Match. He wants to help raise money for a lot of other people. It’s why he’s open in sharing his information. He wants to help people, and unfortunately, a lot people take that the wrong way. They take it as though he’s showing off his knowledge, or they take it as though he’s talking down, and really what he’s trying to do is share so that you understand his thought process in an effort to try to help people, because his heart is that big.”
Mickelson added that DeChambeau is a “fascinating guy to talk to.”
“I’m going to try to ask a lot of questions during [the match] and have him talk about his thought process on some areas that I know are fascinating,” Mickelson said. “And I think viewers are going to be very interested to hear what he has to say, too.”
On more than a few topics.