Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau came up just short at Sunday’s annual PGA Championship, but he is still being celebrated online for an unforgettable display of sportsmanship.
At Louisville’s Valhalla Golf Club, the power driver was in contention for a win when he selflessly made an attempt to make the final day of the tournament memorable for a small boy.
The 30-year-old was caught on video throwing a ball to the kid when conventional wisdom should tell us his mind would have solely been focused on the game.
Unfortunately for one of professional golf’s younger fans, the ball ended up in the hands of an adult who snatched it and retreated.
But DeChambeau was not pleased to see the boy’s chance at having a memento robbed from him, and he sternly demanded the adult fan return the ball to the kid.
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Golf reported that DeChambeau had just left the green on the ninth hole and was walking to the tee box on the back nine when he saw the child and offered him the gift.
When the golfer saw the ball snatched up by a grown man, he refused to move on until the situation was remedied.
DeChambeau went as far as to scream at the man who had intercepted the child’s would-be souvenir.
“Hey!” DeChambeau repeatedly shouted at the man who at first did not appear to hear him. “Hey!”
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The golfer elevated his voice and repeatedly yelled and pointed his club at the man.
Someone off-camera yelled, “Give that boy his ball back!”
Great moment from Bryson dechambeau, he tossed a kid his ball after #9 that gets intercepted by an older man and waits until it gets back in the right hands 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/NgxfwwVgwZ
— anthony (@asreynolds24) May 20, 2024
Upon seeing DeChambeau would not back down until the boy got a gift that was obviously intended for him, the off-camera voice called the golfer a “man for the people.”
The child ended up with possession of the ball, and DeChambeau headed for the tenth hole with the support of a very raucous crowd.
Many people who came across the clip on X admitted they had been on the fence about DeChambeau but said they were reconsidering their stance on him:
Bryson has grown on me. The way he carries himself now is so different, for the better.
— StitchedUp/NDG (@StitchedUpNDG) May 20, 2024
Was literally just saying that i am starting to like Bryson and this is one of the first things i see moments later. I guess it’s official.
— Coach Hendricks (@B_of_H) May 20, 2024
Is Bryson becoming one of my favorite golfers? Many people seem to be changing their opinion of him lately. Actions like this just make you smile and wish much success for the guy. He is really good for the game right now
— Forty Six & 2 🕺 (@forty_six_and2) May 20, 2024
The child also appeared pleased, to say the least, after having one of golf’s biggest names stick up for him during a close tournament:
The kid’s face after he got the ball back says it all.
It’s these kinds of things that mean to the world to the youngest fans. Reason there’s height limits that I fully support to get to PGA Tour autograph areas https://t.co/0aXiKcBEau pic.twitter.com/4Wi9v0nlee
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) May 20, 2024
DeChambeau took second in the tournament, finishing -20 to Xander Schauffele’s -21 after four rounds.
The 2020 U.S. Open winner-turned-LIV Golf League star began his professional career in 2016 and was quickly labeled one of the sport’s more polarizing personalities.
DeChambeau definitely gained some new fans in Kentucky over the weekend.
