Bryson DeChambeau has publicly criticised the PGA Tour after being barred from participating in a key Ryder Cup preparation event as the LIV Golf star, all but assured of a spot on Keegan Bradley‘s U.S. squad, voiced his frustration.
Ongoing restrictions placed on players who joined the Saudi-backed breakaway league reached a boiling point on Friday, August 15 when the 31-year-old called out the fact he isn’t allowed to compete.
The Procore Championship in Napa, California, scheduled for this autumn, has been identified by Bradley as a critical opportunity to give his team competitive match experience ahead of the biennial showdown against Europe.
And while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler confirmed he would compete, many of Bradley’s likely team members are expected to join him, DeChambeau, however, remains ineligible due to his PGA Tour suspension.
“That’s up to the Tour and their decision to make,” DeChambeau told Sports Illustrated. “It’s on them if they don’t let us become together as a team and play.”
The two-time U.S. Open champion’s comments underscore the tension between LIV players and the PGA Tour, which has maintained suspensions since several players defected in 2022.
Despite merger discussions and repeated calls for unity within professional golf, the Tour has shown no flexibility, even with the Ryder Cup weeks away and it could come at the expense of the USA’s chances.
DeChambeau would need a sponsor’s exemption to compete, but a PGA Tour spokesperson confirmed that such measures would not make him eligible, stating the player “is not eligible for PGA Tour competition.”
Without the chance to compete in Napa, DeChambeau could be the only U.S. squad member excluded from the Ryder Cup tune-up, highlighting the ongoing divide between LIV and PGA Tour players.
Why is the BMW Championship paying out extra money in 2025?
This week’s BMW Championship features a notably larger financial incentive than usual, with a total of $42.93 million available to players, so what is the reason behind the cash boost?
While the official tournament purse stands at $20 million, matching the prize money of other Signature Events on the PGA Tour, the FedEx Cup bonus structure adds an additional $22.93 million to the payout.
The expanded bonus is part of the Tour’s revamped FedEx Cup format, which distributes the $100 million bonus pool in stages rather than solely at the Tour Championship as previously, the bulk of the bonus was allocated to the top 30 players at East Lake.
Under the new system, $20 million was awarded at the Wyndham Championship, the final event before the playoffs, with Cameron Young claiming $10 million.
The BMW Championship then distributes $22.93 million among the top 30, including $5 million to the winner and the remaining $57.08 million will be handed out after the Tour Championship, with $40 million allocated to the top 30 and $17.08 million split among the Top 150.
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