After 4 years, Bryson DeChambeau will finally return to the Team U.S. squad in the Ryder Cup. He was absolutely explosive in helping the American side dominate in 2021. The LIV Golf pro won twice and drew once in the three matches played. Despite his explosive performance, he didn’t earn the trust of captain Steve Stricker to put him in a foursomes contest. And experts think that Keegan Bradley might risk a “fall” out if he doesn’t find DeChambeau the right partner for Bethpage.

Jaime Diaz & Gary Williams discussed the possibility of Bryson playing alternate shots in the latest episode of 5 Clubs. Williams asked Diaz who he thought would be the perfect fit for DeChambeau should Bradley consider playing him for foursomes. The Golf Digest analyst told the host, “We talked about Cam Young. You know, an introvert. Someone who is comfortable staying in the background, letting Bryson have the stage.”

Young has been constantly brought up in the conversation as one of the most compatible picks to play alongside DeChambeau. While the two play with the same golf ball, their compatibility on the course also extends to their expertise in different departments of golf. DeChambeau is excellent with the driver and Young is great with approach shots and putting. That makes them a lethal pairing. Moreover, both of them will be favorites in New York, considering Bryson’s popularity and Cameron’s history with the venue.

But Diaz believes that compatibility shouldn’t be a major factor to consider for Bradley: “I don’t think it’s that huge a deal if Bryson plays well. Patrick Reed was considered a disruptive force, and he’s played great in the Ryder Cup. All is forgiven when you play that well. There’s a lot of respect for how good Patrick Reed was, and there is a lot of respect going in for how good Bryson DeChambeau is.”

Patrick Reed is indeed a great case study for how individual brilliance can overshadow team compatibility. His persona outside the Ryder Cup was always controversial and much disliked by the fans. However, when it came to representing Team U.S., he often received a lot of respect and love. In 2014 and 2016, Reed played 9 matches in the Ryder Cup, with a record of 6-1-2. He earned 7 points for the American side and earned the name of Captain America. He was the only Team U.S. player in 2014 to not lose a single match in Scotland. Bryson DeChambeau has the enigma and the skills to fill that role at Bethpage in 2025.

When it comes to the mental challenges of representing his country, Diaz believes that DeChambeau can hold his composure well. “It depends on how he acts. If there’s moments where he’s blaming his partner and looks disruptive, it’s going to fall on Bryson. But I think he has handled his public moments these last couple of years very well. He’s got an amazingly improved image with the public.”

DeChambeau has certainly become one of the most likable figures in golf over the last year. His public persona has shifted from being awkward and unconventional to passionate and driven. Winning the U.S. Open for the second time has certainly helped. The Crushers GC captain’s connections with the 47th POTUS, Donald Trump, have also won over many fans. But most importantly, DeChambeau’s efforts in content creation on YouTube and becoming a more relatable player have made him one of the most loved pro golfers today.

However, Williams found some of DeChambeau’s recent actions alarming: “I would counter that by saying, I didn’t think his form after the Masters, lamenting the fact that Rory didn’t talk to him in the final round. That’s telling to me!” The LIV Golf pro certainly reacted quite strongly to Rory McIlroy not speaking with him when they were paired together in the final round at Augusta National. That didn’t reflect well on him after all the good faith he had earned over the last year.

But Diaz had a reasonable explanation for why DeChambeau acted that way after the Masters: “I give him a pass. He’s asked about everything, and I think he was being sensitive about the LIV thing. It’s like this is the way it is right now between us. There’s tension, and he didn’t quite say it, but that was a manifestation of that, probably.” Diaz believes that DeChambeau was more concerned about McIlroy’s strong perception of LIV Golf than their dynamic with each other.

Whether it may be true or not is debatable, considering Bryson was also quite frustrated about losing the Green Jacket. Despite the great start to the final round, he choked for the remaining holes to fall from solo second to T5 on the leaderboard. If losing triggers such a negative reaction from him at Bethpage, then he won’t do any good to himself or Team U.S.. Especially since they are already under a lot of pressure with the Europeans coming in with a very strong squad.

Having said that, should Bryson DeChambeau really play the foursomes matches? Let’s see how he has performed in the alternate shots format in the past.

Is the alternate-shot format Bryson DeChambeau’s weakness?

In the two Ryder Cups he has played, Bryson DeChambeau has certainly been a strong performer due to his ability with the driver. In fourballs, he has often dominated as he is able to play his own game without having to rely on someone else to play the next stroke. But in 2018 and 2021, DeChambeau has never played foursome matches.

The last time the Crushers GC captain played foursomes was when he and Brooks Koepka teamed together. They took on Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in The Showdown in December 2024. That proved to be a great example of why Bryson DeChambeau is not an ideal player in alternate shots. While he and Koepka performed well in fourballs, they struggled to beat Scheffler and McIlroy in foursomes. That eventually led to the LIV Golf team’s loss in the exhibition event. This makes it abundantly clear that DeChambeau is not the best candidate to play in alternate shot format, something that other analysts have also suggested.