Chris Pratt Gave Bryson DeChambeau The Push To Keep Going

Believe it or not, Bryson DeChambeau seriously contemplated walking away from the game of golf.

From his comments on the Covid-19 vaccine, to the criticism of his own driver, saying it “sucks,” and most notably, the “feud” between him and Brooks Koepka, it has been quite a year for DeChambeau headlines.

His vaccine comments back in August at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational are what encouraged him to shy away from the media during tournaments.

“The thing is, the vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent it from happening. That’s where for me, I’m young enough, I’d rather give it to people that need it. I don’t need it. I’m healthy. I’m a young individual that will continue to be healthy and continue to work on my health. But I don’t think that taking a vaccine away from someone that could need it is a good thing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

In a recent interview with the New York Post, Bryson DeChambeau revealed that he was on the brink of hanging the game up for good.

“There was a point in time — I’m not kidding — where I just felt like I wanted to leave the game. I just felt like, ‘I don’t need any of this. Why? Why put myself though all this torture? I got hit pretty hard. That’s why I kind of walked away, because people were damaging [my] character. It was all the stuff that was going on in social media. I was like, ‘I really don’t need this. I can walk away and be totally fine the rest of my life, be happy and go and hit the long ball and call it a day.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Golf Monthly (@golfmonthly)

While these comments during his interview may come as a surprise, it also shows a different side of Bryson. It reveals the very real effects of negative social media attention.

It appeared that at every waking moment, negativity was raining down on DeChambeau which left him asking himself whether or not he should just give it up for good. Luckily though, he kept going:

“I couldn’t let down the people that were around me, the people that truly believed in me… So, I said, ‘No Bryson, you can do this for a long time.’ I had great people around me, and things changed for me. I got back to a place where I felt like I could continue.”

The unlikely friendship and advice from movie star Chris Pratt helped change Bryson’s perspective:

“He told me when I’m out on the golf course, people are going to define you and relate you to the golf. What really defines you is the person you are outside the game of golf. You’ve got to look at it as an opportunity to show people who you truly are.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

Love him or hate him, he is great for the game. From playing with irons that are all the same length to competing in long drive competitions, DeChambeau is one of the most compelling figures to ever compete on the professional golf stage.

It would be a terrible shame to watch such incredible talent walk away from golf. He may get in his own way at times, but it appears he’s turned a corner and is looking ahead toward the future.

“This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win.”

– Ben Hogan

Cover Image Via Instagram & Instagram