(Reuters) – U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau said his ongoing feud with Brooks Koepka might be something for the PGA Tour to handle if it escalates further, adding his representative has already spoken to officials.
The bad blood between the pair has largely played out online but intensified at the Memorial Tournament on Friday when fans were removed from Dublin, Ohio’s Muirfield Village for heckling DeChambeau with his rival’s nickname “Brooksy.”
Koepka, who is not competing this week, said in a video on Twitter that he would offer 50 cases of free beer to any fan whose time was “cut short” at the tournament.
Asked if he was surprised at how the matter had escalated, DeChambeau told reporters: “Yeah, I think that’s something the Tour needs to handle, it’s something I can’t control.
“I tried to take the high road numerous times and I think, from my perspective, I’ll continue to keep doing so and people are going to do what they want to do. So it is what it is.”
DeChambeau said his agent had spoken to PGA Tour officials without disclosing too many details about the conversation.
He added he was not affected by the behaviour of fans.
“First off… the fans were awesome today. They came out, supported me. Obviously you’re going to have people saying things, but again it doesn’t rile me up,” DeChambeau said.
“… I love what’s been going on. I’ve had no issue with it whatsoever… I’d say tennis and golf are the only two sports where when you’re hitting a shot everybody’s usually quiet.
“If it comes out to a point where they’re affecting your swing… that’s a little over the line, but everything else, I don’t care.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
