Whereas golf is rarely compelling away from the course, it’s been a fun year with some off-the-grass drama between two of the sport’s biggest stars in Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
They don’t like each other, and that’s ok.
But it’s not ok to choose sides and act like you’re at any other ticketed sporting event in America, as today PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan put the smackdown on yelling “Brooksy!” at Bryson during tournament play.
Yelling or saying, "Brooksie" to Bryson DeChambeau will now be considered disrespectful from now on can result in expulsion from a tournament. This directly from Commissioner Jay Monahan. It's become an issue of being disrespectful to the players and the game.
— Michael Collins (@ESPNCaddie) August 31, 2021
This goes back to the epic six-hole playoff at the BMW Championship last weekend, where Patrick Cantlay beat DeChambeau in dramatic fashion after a missed birdie putt on yet another shootout on the 18th hole.
Halfway up the hill, something happened that made me feel like we’ve arrived at a miserable place in the never-ending circus that is DeChambeau. A patron waited until DeChambeau had walked by, but was not out of earshot, then sneered from over the rope line, “Great job, Brooksie!” DeChambeau spun around in a rage and began briefly walking in his direction.
“You know what? Get the f--- out!” DeChambeau yelled. He had rage in his eyes.
It might not be the most respectful thing to taunt a golfer at his low point, but basically in most places in the USA if you needle the talent it’s accepted as long as you don’t cross any lines (racial, homophobic, etc). And in golf and tennis, you are even afforded the extra courtesy of no one speaking or even having a cell phone available while you’re actually competing. It’s a pretty good deal!
But that’s not enough for the PGA apparently. I wonder if Koepka will be sending free 12-packs to those that are the victims of this policy.
And I’m sure the European fans at Whistling Straits for the Ryder Cup in a few weeks will respect this rule as well. Right.