Bryson DeChambeau is one of LIV Golf’s most prominent faces. He draws attention from his performances on the course and from his social media presence. While he may be someone who pulls in people with his unique style of play, he is no stranger to the pressures of professional golf. Like many PGA Tour players, he was also friends with Grayson Murray, who tragically took his life a couple of weeks ago. As such, ahead of this week’s LIV Houston event, he showed his vulnerable side when discussing the pressures that come with the sport he plays, regardless of the level. “Any tour you’re playing on, whether you’re playing mini-tours or Challenge Tour, it doesn’t matter. The pressure is just massive,” DeChambeau said ahead of LIV Houston. “The mental health aspect of golf is super important. It’s a tragic loss that we had with Grayson because he was a good man. It’s not easy—what he’s gone through, what we all go through as professionals. My heart aches for him and his family.” Miles Russell also came up in that discussion. Russell is a 15-year-old player who recently received a sponsor exemption to play in this year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. A teenager will have to manage the pressures that grown men face every week, and DeChambeau offered advice. “Golf is not a forgiving sport,” he said. “A lot of pressure is put on you at a young age, especially when you’re good. You have many great golfers who have experienced pressure at a young age.” “We all have to take our mental health very, very seriously. So, when it comes to Miles, it’s an awesome opportunity— the pressures of golf need to be taken seriously. I wish Miles the best of luck and think he will do well. He is a great golfer, but we all need a good support system.” DeChambeau also highlighted times when he second-guessed himself and felt stress. On the PGA Tour, he was not always a favorite among fans, and many people did not like him. He then went to LIV Golf, and his game was not up to his standards, so more stress followed. The 2020 U.S. Open winner knows how immense the pressure can be as a professional athlete. However, he did credit LIV Golf for giving him the needed support system. “LIV is so amazing because we have that team aspect where we can rely on each other, on your teammates,” DeChambeau said. “I was in a really bad place last year in Singapore, and those guys lifted me up. It would be a different situation if those guys weren’t here.” Most of the time, the team element in golf leaves after college. Pressure is so massive in this sport because there are only so many spots on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, or any other major tour. There will be good and bad times, but finding that group of people to be there through it all is one of the keys to handling the stress of pro golf. Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
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