Former SMU star Bryson DeChambeau says he’s ready to grow his YouTube empire if LIV Golf’s future takes another major hit.
Bryson DeChambeau, the former SMU golf standout and one of LIV Golf’s biggest names, may soon face the most fascinating pivot of his career.
With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund reportedly ending future financial backing for LIV Golf, the league’s long-term future suddenly looks far less certain.
That matters in a big way for DeChambeau, whose LIV contract is set to expire after this season.
The 31-year-old has become much more than a major champion and former SMU Mustang. He’s now one of golf’s most powerful digital brands, with a YouTube audience approaching 2.7 million subscribers and celebrity collaborations featuring names like Paige Spiranac, Kevin Hart and Donald Trump.
So what happens if LIV can’t keep going?
“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” DeChambeau said Tuesday while preparing for this week’s event at Trump National Golf Club.
That doesn’t mean DeChambeau has given up on LIV. He told ESPN he believes the league’s new leadership can still build a business model strong enough to attract new investors.
But his comments make it clear he’s already thinking about options, including playing in events that want him.
A PGA Tour return could be complicated. DeChambeau previously said in January that he “has a contract” with LIV and wasn’t rushing back.
He also suggested there could be serious penalties involved if he tried to rejoin the Tour.
On the course, it’s been an uneven year. His last PGA Tour appearance came at the Masters, where he opened with an 80 and missed the cut.
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Still, DeChambeau sounds open to a bigger golf compromise.
“I think it requires a little bit of everybody kind of just lowering their guards and all coming together and going, ‘OK, what’s best for the game of golf?’”
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