2024 Paris Olympics: Is Team U.S.A.’s Stance Against Bryson DeChambeau & His LIV Co. a Blunder?

It’s an event that pits the world’s best against each other! Yes, we are talking exactly about the Olympics that is set to kick off on July 26. But many in the golfing world might question the claim about the battle of the best athletes. Why? Well, it might all stem down to a certain LIV Golf Pro not getting a spot on the U.S.A. team after a phenomenal rise in the rankings. Cue the curtains; it’s Bryson DeChambeau!

“It’s disappointing,” said a sad DeChambeau when asked about him not qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team. The golfer, regardless, was understanding of the situation as he hinted at the various decisions he made throughout the past 3-4 years, including joining LIV Golf. Even so, one can’t help but wonder if his not getting to play at the quadrennial event might prove to be too much of an error on the American team’s part, especially after his recent scintillating performances.

Bryson DeChambeau misses out on an Olympics spot

The ‘Scientist’ is currently placed at No. 9 on the Official World Golf Rankings. This is a stark contrast as opposed to the spot in which he entered 2024, at No. 210. Then how was he able to climb this much? The answer lies in his recent major championship finishes. DeChambeau clinched a T6 placement at Augusta National, a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, and a mindblowing victory at the U.S. Open.

The Masters helped him card 19 points while the event at Valhalla awarded him with a figure of 60. The first major of 2024 helped him jump a hundred places from No. 210 to No. 110 while the second tournament propelled him to the 35th place. The 100 points from the contest at Pinehurst No. 2 was the final push that placed him inside the top 10. Unfortunately, such a climb in rankings from minimal events was only enough for the LIV Golf Pro to become the 6th highest American on the OWGR.

Now, as per the qualification criteria set aside by the Olympics, the top 15 will be selected to participate in the Olympics, with a maximum of four from each country. This paints a truly unlucky picture for the 30-year-old who has the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa above him and earning the spots for the Paris Games. All because the LIV Golf  League failed to get OWGR backing.

The lack of OWGR support for LIV golfers including DeChambeau

The situation would have been entirely different had there been OWGR points allocated to LIV Golf events. Over the years as a professional of the PIF-funded circuit, Bryson DeChambeau has raked in a total of two wins at Greenbrier and Chicago back in 2023. The triumphs, coupled with the 10 top-10 finishes he has raked in on the circuit since 2022 would have helped him clinch a much better position on the world rankings.

This holds true for not just the 2-time U.S. Open champ but other golfers of the breakaway league as well, including Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton, and others. The Englishman’s recent win at Nashville would have pushed him closer to Matt Fitzpatrick or even above him had the world rankings not denied the Saudi-backed league any points. But the reality for them was different from what could have been. Even so, it’s not as if no LIV Golf Pro is representing their country at the quadrennial games.

LIV Golf Pros in the Olympics, unlike DeChambeau

A total of six players from the Middle Eastern circuit will tee it off between August 1 and August 10 at the Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. They include the likes of Joaquin Niemann representing his country Chile, Abraham Ancer from Mexico, Carlos Ortiz from Mexico, Adrian Meronk from Poland, and Jon Rahm & David Puig, both of whom hail from Spain.

All of these golfers are placed inside the top 60 of the Olympic Golf Rankings and have claimed a spot on their country’s national team to represent the same. It will be a different picture altogether if one of these six athletes manages to emerge victorious at the upcoming Paris Games while beating the rest of the PGA Tour Pros.

Bryson DeChambeau and his fellow golfers can only hope a different situation arises in the next Olympic games that will take place in Los Angeles, America. The 30-year-old holds the same opinion as he had said, “I’ve done my best up until now to give myself a chance according to the OWGR … Hopefully, 2028 will be a little different situation, and it will make it that much sweeter.” But will the 2024 U.S. Open champ finally don the stars and stripes? That is something only time will tell!