“I’ll be rooting them on if I’m not there”- Bryson DeChambeau unveils his conversation with US Ryder Cup captain

The Ryder Cup is approaching and anticipation about the captain's picks is growing. Bryson DeChambeau is one of the most talked about names, and he has expressed his desire to attend the event, despite the LIV/PGA Tour controversy. However, Zach Johnson has not said anything to him about it.

Bryson DeChambeau visited the U.S. Amateur Championship, which is currently being played at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. The LIV Golf star spoke to the press and said he hasn't heard from Johnson in months.

Here's what he said, according to Golfweek:

"I talked to him at the PGA [Championship] a little bit. He said, ‘Good luck, play well man. Rooting for you.’ After that, nothing."

DeChambeau reiterated his interest in being called to the Ryder Cup but also said that he understands that until a certain time, it may not happen. He is prepared to "root for Team USA," if he is ultimately not in the competition.

He said, according to Golfweek:

“I don’t expect anything. I’ll be rooting them on if I’m not there. And if I do so happen to get the opportunity to play, I’m there for Team USA and I’m going to give it my full-force effort."

He added:

“Problem is, I understand the position that they don’t see us playing enough, so it’s kind of difficult to make a decision, I get that. But at the end of the day, it is what it is and I’ll be rooting for Team USA no matter what.”

U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Johnson's recent statements that hint at the possibility of calling up players from the LIV Golf circuit. He hasn't said it outright, but he hasn't denied it either.

This is what Johnson told Golf Subpar podcast about the selections:

"Americans. 6 Americans, Born in the United States. And probably on the PGA TOUR, but not necessarily."

He added:

“I’m going to be fully transparent. It’s hard because I’m not able to witness what they’re doing [at LIV Golf] and see their form, with the exception of four events a year."

The current rules for the Ryder Cup do not prohibit the participation of any professional player because of the circuit where he plays. This limitation stems from the qualification systems of each team. These, in practice, remove almost any chance for LIV Golf players to earn a spot among the six that qualify directly.

There are exceptions, however, because performance in the majors still counts towards the Ryder Cup and LIV players still participate in them. This is the reason why Brooks Koepka is currently ranked in the top six of the American ranking.

The six captain's picks are also not limited in any way. According to the rules, Zach Johnson and Luke Donald are free to call up players from the LIV Golf circuit.

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Bryson DeChambeau at the Ryder Cup

The winner of the 2020 US Open, Bryson DeChambeau, was part of the American team in the last two editions of the Ryder Cup (2018 and 2021). His performance was completely different in both participations.

In 2018, DeChambeau had a very unfortunate performance, losing all three matches, including the individual against Alex Norén.

In 2021, though, the story was different. He also played three matches but won two and tied 1. He contributed 2.5 points to the American victory.