{"id":436516,"date":"2025-08-23T11:03:34","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T11:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/?p=436516"},"modified":"2025-08-23T11:03:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T11:03:34","slug":"brooks-koepka-calls-out-bryson-dechambeau-at-liv-golf-semis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/brooks-koepka-calls-out-bryson-dechambeau-at-liv-golf-semis\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooks Koepka Calls Out Bryson DeChambeau at LIV Golf Semis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brooks Koepka<\/a> has called out Bryson DeChambeau for avoiding a direct matchup at the LIV Golf Semifinals and described him as a \u201cstrange cat<\/a>.\u201d The five-time major winner did not hold back after DeChambeau chose not to face him head-to-head in the\u00a0 Miami Team Championship on Saturday, reigniting one of golf\u2019s most talked-about rivalries.<\/p>\n

Keep Reading: Brooks Koepka Receives Backlash for Outburst at LIV Dallas<\/a><\/p>\n

Koepka Labels DeChambeau \u201cStrange Cat\u201d<\/h3>\n

The Semifinals format allowed team captains to set up matchups, giving fans the chance to see blockbuster pairings. Many expected Koepka, captain of Smash GC, to face DeChambeau, captain of Crushers GC. Koepka even placed himself as his team\u2019s top singles player, seemingly anticipating that showdown. Instead, DeChambeau put his teammate Anirban Lahiri against Koepka, while he took on Talor Gooch.<\/p>\n

The Semifinals represented a chance to reignite the rivalry on the course for many fans. A head-to-head match between Koepka and DeChambeau could have provided a dramatic highlight in a team event that thrives on drama. Instead, the matchup was avoided, leaving Koepka openly questioning DeChambeau\u2019s mindset.<\/p>\n

That decision frustrated Koepka, who later questioned DeChambeau\u2019s choice and argued that DeChambeau had robbed fans of the battle they wanted to see. \u201cI don\u2019t know what the thinking was behind that,\u201d Koepka said<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019d probably say the people would want to see that. I don\u2019t know what he is afraid of. It\u2019s just kind of\u2026 he beats his own drum, so he is a strange cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Koepka and DeChambeau Continue Rivalry<\/h3>\n

The rivalry between Koepka and DeChambeau has been one of golf\u2019s biggest storylines over the past five years. It began on the PGA Tour, when the two frequently clashed over comments, mannerisms, and competitive tensions. Their back-and-forths often spilled into press conferences and social media, making them headline figures even off the course. The move to LIV Golf has not cooled things down, and this latest incident shows the rivalry is still very much alive.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jun 13, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooks Koepka speaks with his caddy before his shot in the rough on the 17th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When asked if he had any strategy he wanted to discuss regarding Bryson putting himself in the second singles slot, DeChambeau said: \u201cI’ve got my reasons and it ain’t personal though. I can tell you that, it’s not personal.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeChambeau decision to choose Gooch instead of Koepka may have been tactical. Gooch has been one of LIV\u2019s most consistent performers, and Crushers GC were looking to secure a spot in the final. Still, the optics of skipping a direct face-off with Koepka gave plenty of fuel to critics and added another layer to their long-running feud.<\/p>\n

Whether the two will face each other in future events remains to be seen, but the demand from fans is clear. Their rivalry has often brought out some of the most memorable moments in modern golf, and many believe a head-to-head showdown is overdue.<\/p>\n

Main Photo Credit: \u00a9 Adam Cairns-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brooks Koepka has called out Bryson DeChambeau for avoiding a direct matchup at the LIV Golf Semifinals and described him as a \u201cstrange cat.\u201d The five-time major winner did not hold back after DeChambeau chose not to face him head-to-head in the\u00a0 Miami Team Championship on Saturday, reigniting one of golf\u2019s most talked-about rivalries. Keep […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5425,"featured_media":436521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15,200],"tags":[8182,121],"class_list":["post-436516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-golf","category-liv-golf","tag-brooks-koek","tag-bryson-dechambeau"],"modified_by":"Ajayi Segun","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5425"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=436516"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":436523,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436516\/revisions\/436523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/436521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=436516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=436516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=436516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}