Bryson DeChambeau: LIV move led to massive influencer role

Bryson DeChambeau discussed his "fun side quests" on Wednesday as he prepared to return to his day job and start gearing up for the upcoming U.S. Open.

Since tying for second at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow last month, the two-time major winner's busy calendar has included a lap around the track at the Indianapolis 500 and hitting golf balls with President Donald J. Trump on the White House lawn.

DeChambeau, 31, acknowledged that playing the limited schedule of LIV Golf events has given him more time to expand his role as an influencer -- he has more than 2 million YouTube subscribers -- and also experience more of what life has to offer.

"I think LIV afforded me the opportunity to spend more time thinking, strategizing, getting my body healthy, ready for majors in a pretty unique way," he said Wednesday. "For me, it was a great thing. I thought there was an opportunity to do other things in life, and look, do I want to win every single tournament I show up to? 100 percent."

DeChambeau met with reporters at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., where the LIV Golf Virginia event begins Friday. It will be the Saudi-funded league's first event since DeChambeau won the LIV Golf Korea title on May 4.

"Hitting in the White House was incredibly special," DeChambeau said. "I never thought I would ever in my life get an opportunity to do it, but the President himself was like, 'Just go out there and hit some shots.' I was like, 'Okay, yes, sir.' It was quite the experience. It was 105 yards and I hit a few good shots to a couple feet and almost made a few of them, too."

DeChambeau, who won U.S. Open titles in 2020 and 2024, said that he was inspired by influencers and YouTube pioneers like MrBeast and Dude Perfect.

"I said, 'Why can't I do that, as well?'" he said. "I think there's an opportunity to be as influential as I am now, and this was just the beginning. I think there's a lot more to come.

"I hope that's a positive force for the game of golf because that was my initiative with the game of golf is that, yeah, I want to win a lot of tournaments, but how can I make a greater impact, as well, than by just winning golf tournaments?"

The Crushers GC captain said he considers himself a competitor and an entertainer -- "two things that I love doing."

"Now that I've got a couple million followers on YouTube, I'm incredibly grateful. There's no other words about it. Did I ever think it would get this big? I had no clue. I really had no idea," he said.

"Is it now an incredible responsibility? Yes. And I understand that. I want to continue to entertain my fans and also continue to play the great game of golf that we all love at the highest level."