Bryson DeChambeau didn’t earn the nickname ‘The People’s Champion’ overnight. Known for his power game and the infamous “The driver sucks” outburst at the 2021 Open Championship, DeChambeau was once seen as golf’s maverick. But when fan reactions soured, the LIV Golf star decided it was time to set the record straight. And where better to do that than YouTube? Teaming up with Phil Mickelson in the latest ‘Break 50’ series episode, DeChambeau opened up about why he turned to content creation. “People had a thought process of, you know, kind of who I was, and I didn’t like the way that was going,” he revealed, reflecting on his bold move to show his “true self” to the world.
The result has been remarkable. Since his first YouTube video, ‘A Week On Tour,’ in 2021, DeChambeau has gathered 1.55 million subscribers and another 1.7 million followers on Instagram. For fans, the content—a mix of behind-the-scenes tours, challenges, and collaborations—was a window into the real Bryson. “It got close to a million views within, like a couple of weeks,” he recalled. “It just opened my eyes to how people can perceive who you truly are when you present them what you’re actually doing.”
But this venture wasn’t just about image. Inspired by creators like ‘Dude Perfect,’ DeChambeau saw a chance to grow the game for younger fans. “If I could just capture some of that and bring them into golf, that’s an amazing way to grow the game,” he said, aiming to inspire the next generation of golfers. The whole journey, starting in 2020 during the COVID lockdown, turned out to be more than he’d expected. “I had no idea what life was going to look like after,” he shared. “I said, ‘let’s just video this,’ because if something goes back to normal, then I want to be able to have that.”
By the time of the 2024 PGA Championship, ‘The Scientist’ was embracing his role as both a player and an entertainer. “I’ve worked really hard to have people help hopefully understand who I am a little bit better,” he said, crediting YouTube for helping bridge the gap. And it’s clear he believes fan connection matters just as much as trophies. “Being able to entertain the fans is what we’re all here to do,” he remarked, “and I think that’s the most important thing.”
With YouTube videos, podcasts, and the popular ‘Break 50’ series under his belt, DeChambeau has come a long way since the divisive days of 2021. Today, he’s not just winning over new fans—he’s changing minds about who he really is. Has his YouTube journey changed your perception of Bryson DeChambeau?
