LIV GOLF BEDMINSTER

August 9, 2023

Bryson DeChambeau

Anirban Lahiri

Trump National Golf Club

Crushers GC

Press Conference

Q. Talk about the memorabilia that you saved (from his round of 58).

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yes, golf ball, and then I've got my score that I wrote down on the other scorecard. You know, you write your own score on the other competitor's scorecard, so I have that little tab. Those two things. I'm going to be framing that.

Q. Earlier today, we spoke to Sergio, and he said the most impressive thing to him was that you shot 61 prior to 58. You've got to be the only person ever to average less than 60 for two rounds --

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: And win, I think.

Q. What was it like to be in that kind of bubble compared to your past experience?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I don't even understand it still, first off, because I don't know if it's ever been done, I think. I can't remember a time when anybody did that.

But it was a weird frame of mind. It was more of, I shot 61, and I was like, that was cake, that didn't feel like it was that difficult. I feel like I can do the same thing the next day.

Obviously you've got to make putts and bad breaks can happen and whatnot, but a perfect scenario, if I really didn't get unlucky, and I hit every shot the way I wanted to for two days. Literally a perfect storm. That's obviously why nobody has done it. You have to have a perfect storm to have it happen.

Q. What's your mindset this week? As everybody knows, it's hard to back up one good round with the next. How do you back up such a crazy tournament like that with this one?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: This is a different golf course. This is a beast of a golf course. This is a major championship venue I feel like, the way the golf course is set up in regards to the rough and the tightness of fairways. I don't know if in the 50s is going to be possible this week.

It's definitely possible, but I don't think anybody is going to do it.

You've just got to focus on the process. There's not much more to it. You can't go out there and expect to shoot something low. It's more I've got to hit this next shot to the best of my ability and continue to add it up over the course of each and every hole, and that's what I did on Sunday. I was like, next shot, just hit it the best I possibly can.

16, striped it, had a little wedge shot up there. Even that little wedge shot, I've got to hit it the best I possibly can, and then made the putt after that. It's just a continuous snowball of process and keep doing what you can.

Q. With any new league it's always trying to get traction. You guys have had plenty of exposure, winning at majors and all that. What do you think shooting a 58 does for the league in that regard, just as far as the more eyeballs and the more attention it gets.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I can certainly tell you that considering that was a PGA TOUR course and shooting 58, and 59 has been had on it before, we're clearly not exhibition golfers.

Q. Bryson, you have the new driver in the bag. You alluded to the fact that you don't really have to practice it as much anymore. Do you think there's an argument there that clubs are becoming a little bit too forgiving in a way?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: We could be here for a half hour now. (Laughter.)

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, for five years I didn't have the right equipment, so that shows you how important equipment is.

I think we're in a place now in time where contracts aren't necessarily as important as the purse you're playing for.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Equipment contracts.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Equipment contracts is what I mean, thank you, is not as important as the purse you're playing for.

I really think the best equipment is going to start showing itself over the course of time because of that.

I think it's a great thing for the game of golf. We want as professionals to provide the best equipment possible for the public as well as professionals. We don't want to just lock ourselves into one side of the market. We don't want to build just a club for us, nor for the average golfer. We want equipment to work for everyone.

That's what I think is so beautiful about the game is keeping it the same across all ends is super important. So in regards to the forgiveness, you can say that, but it's just if you get the right physics going, you can get some special stuff happening in clubs.

Q. (On whether he'll be selected for Ryder Cup.)

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Look, I played in a couple Ryder Cups, and I would love to represent my country. There's no doubt about that. I feel like I'm in a good place to be able to do that. I feel like I'm a top 10 player for sure right now with the game that I'm playing, and if I do get picked, fantastic. If I don't, I'll still be watching on TV and rooting for Team USA because I respect and appreciate those players that are on the team representing our country more than a PGA TOUR or LIV thing.

Q. (On whether his mental game has improved due to equipment.)

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Oh, a thousand percent, not even a question.

Again, one, the equipment is performing really nicely for me. I feel like I can go out there and just play golf rather than golf swing or what do I need to do here to save -- or if I hit it on this part of the face or whatever. But I also feel like my mental game is in a different place because of the equipment.

I feel like I'm just a brute. I just, boom, right down the fairway, wedge it on the green, right down the fairway, wedge it on the green. It's just more of a determined, focused mentality that I have with this new equipment. It's really the equipment, to be honest. So it is different.

That's what makes me feel like I'm back in 2015 when I was playing the U.S. Amateur and shooting 6-under every time at Olympia Fields. That's kind of what I feel like right now.

Q. Obviously a lot of talk about the framework agreement. Phil has said, point blank, he doesn't think any LIV players are interested in playing on the PGA TOUR should the agreement come about. Would love to hear both of your thoughts on the general sentiment out here, if you think players are interested in playing there.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I don't think Phil is too far off the point with his comments. Obviously it's individual to individual. There's 48 people here. There's at least, if I'm not mistaken, close to 30 of us were fully exempt when we left or still in some category or the other.

But I think it all comes down to each individual. Everybody had different motivations for coming over. I can speak for myself.

I probably would not go back, and even if I did, I'd probably just want to play two or three events, and if I was to flip the coin and be on the other side of the ropes, I can't see how that flies with the membership on the other side, either.

I honestly feel that there's so much conjecture, so much guessing, this is what I think, I think everybody just needs to pump their brakes. Whatever happens happens. We are here playing LIV, enjoying it entirely, loving the team aspect, obviously making history, breaking new ground and creating a brand new golf product which is gaining momentum, and I'm enjoying being a part of this and looking forward to doing this for many, many seasons.

Whether PGA TOUR fits into that plan, I don't know. But this is plan A. All of us have moved here with this being our primary place of practicing our profession.

When and if and what happens, nobody really knows, but I think most of us are really happy here.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Those are wise words from Ban, and I can't speak any more on that.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: That's why I'm on the team.

Q. Is it possible if this thing happens maybe the new world order doesn't look that --

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. I know a lot of players don't want it to happen. I know some players that know it needs to happen.

From my perspective, I'm incredibly content having a team to rely on and play for and be a part of. I'm really enjoying that process. Like you said, this is plan A, and I'm not thinking about any other plans as of right now.

Would it be fun to go play a couple events over there? Sure. There's a lot of places and people I respect over there that I'd love to give my blood, sweat and tears for. They just haven't made that possible yet.

It'll figure itself out in the future, but as of right now, what Ban said is absolutely true.

Q. You've been real active since you joined LIV with your team. You've done a lot. I'm curious how you've see the league grow over your time here with LIV, and what would you like to see changed going forward as LIV continues to adapt and develop?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I think the impact that we have that people are starting to see from Adelaide. $100 million in economic impact is gigantic, and this is only the beginning. There's been a lot of headwinds, a lot of difficulties, but there's also been a lot of positives.

People don't talk enough about the positive impact we're making, not only in each other's lives but in the communities' lives and what we did today with Hope Through Education, it's just another telltale sign that this isn't going anywhere, and we're continuing to make positive impacts across the globe in a really cool, special way.

This is only the tip of the iceberg from a franchise perspective. I'm talking about building academies. We're talking about academies, even golf courses, community impacts in certain areas depending on where our home base is, our home regions are. India, that's a huge untapped market that I think could economically, socially impact massively from the game of golf. It's untapped potential, and we're unleashing that here.

Q. Is there anything you'd like to see changed?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: There's always going to be change and improvements. I think it's really cool to see that a lot of players have input and will continue to have input. It doesn't mean we're always sitting at a table but we're continually giving input that we think is best for not only for the game of golf and not only for the teams but for the communities and what we're doing in those local areas.

Q. Mr. Lahiri, I'm sure you heard what Jim Furyk said about Bryson's 58 --

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Actually I didn't.

Q. He said that at least his counted. Who do you think would win in a fight between those two?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: So I'll give you another story. Once when I was 16, I was with my coach who I've been with for 22 years. He never played professional golf. There was another coach in that golf club who played pro golf, and a member came and asked me, who do you think would beat the other guy if your coaches played golf. Well, they're coaching, they're not fighting each other. So it didn't really matter as long as I beat his student.

I think it's very easy to sit in an armchair and feel a certain way about it. I have huge respect for him. I love him.

His round made a huge impact for LIV, made a huge impact to the team, made a huge impact in the world of golf where people sat up and said, oh, my God, this guy just did something ridiculous this weekend.

I think we let the ripple effect speak for the difference it makes in golf. I still remember when Jim shot 58. It was unbelievable. I think anybody shooting a score like that in golf is good for the game.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: But who would win in a fight?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Are you coaching?

You know what, I just want golf to win, man. I respect people's opinions, but I would not fight my captain.

Q. Bryson, who do you think would win in that fight, Jim in his prime.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It would be a tough go. He's got some lankiness to him. That golf swing of his, he's got a lot of mobility, so I've got to watch out for a quick little right hook. I'll be working on that and focusing on that.

Q. (Inaudible.)

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: It has to be done in a manner where there's balance. You can't just flip it and make it so disbalanced that it makes no sense. To that extent -- I've been saying from day one, both types of golf, both tours, both concepts can coexist side by side. It's not necessarily one or the other. There's room.

Therein lies the answer.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Diminishes? No, I think it's the other way around. I don't think this was ever about 54 holes. I don't think ever about what we're doing here, it was about one organization being threatened by competition. That's what it was all about from day one. What's happening right now is finding middle ground so both can coexist, which is great.

What happens off it, I don't know. That's outside of my purview.

But I think a lot of people are going to get over the prejudice. They're going to get over the colored glass that was put in front of them to view LIV Golf, so I think it actually opens it up to a lot of people who were blindsided by opinion that wasn't true. So I think it's the other way around.

Q. (Indiscernible) on your end how much communication was happening, if at all?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, the whole whatever has happened so far, it's outside of my purview. Everybody asks me that question. That's a commonly asked question, and they say, what do you think about what's going on, and I just say, I need to go make as many birdies as I can.

Essentially that's the only thing I can control. That's what I'm here to do. I'm here to be the best golfer I can be. I'm not here for the politics. I'm here because I believe in this, and I believe in this -- I've said this before.

I come from a country where another sport, cricket, for instance, which has multiple formats, I've seen how multiple formats can be super successful in tapping into different markets, different demographics, which is one of the ideas with which LIV was formed.

It was easy for me to get on board. What other people saw as -- well, it is disruptive. What other people saw as nonconventional I saw as innovative because I've actually see it happen in another sport, and I've seen the appeal grow and actually one format overtake the other format, which has happened in cricket.

I have a huge belief in what we are doing here.

For me this is why I'm here, and I'm a part of something that's potentially going to revolutionize or change golf 10 years from now. I just keep my head down and do what I need to do. Simple.

Q. Can you just take us back to the moment I think you were in scoring --

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Yeah, I felt terrible for not being there to just blind him with champagne, as Paul described it to me. He's like I got him right in the eye. I'm like, dammit.

But it was wild, man. I was in scoring, and there was about eight of us, eight or nine of us in there, and we all went, oh, man -- there was that moment of holy crap, that actually went in. We're like, oh, he's just got to two-putt, he's just got to two-putt. Nobody is even thinking about 58, let's be honest, because the 59 is the magic number really. 58 is just a unicorn. It's a myth.

Then when that goes in, everybody in scoring goes berserk. I'm like, where the hell is my card. I need to get to 18.

It was wild like listening to all the different accounts. There were so many caddies and players in the players' lounge that was overlooking the 18th green. Some were looking at the TV, some were looking out the window. I was talking to someone just the other day, it's like, as he got over the putt, every single person, staff, family, player, caddie, bartender, everybody is on their feet like just looking at the TV.

As the ball goes in, the entire players' lounge is just jumping. Everyone is high-fiving each other. These are the other 46 guys who he just whooped, celebrating someone who just made a bomb for a 58. That would never, ever happen on any other tour, on any other platform, and that's what we're doing here.

That's the beauty of it. People don't get it, like ugh, team golf, whatever, it's a fad, it's this, it's that, but when you're in there and you're a part of this, that's why it's so special. I don't know when that's going to happen again. I just don't know.

Q. Were you aware during the day at all? Did you have a chance to glance at the leaderboard and kind of see the scores Bryson was putting up? Were you thinking, man, Bryson has got a shot at 59 now?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, I've played LIV now nearly a year, so I'm very good at scoreboard watching on Sundays because you have to. It moves quick. Like two guys make birdie, one guy makes bogey, you go from three back to four ahead to three back again. There's a lot of scoreboard watching.

I knew he got off the blocks super hot, and then he was just in a zone, man. Like I was talking to G-Bo, and G-Bo is like, his eyes were glazed. He holed out from behind the green on 5, and he just walked up to G-Bo, gave him the wedge, and G-Bo was like, this guy is just on a different planet right now.

When that happens, crazy stuff happens. He was in there for 48 hours straight. I think that's what is the most ridiculous part about it. People get into the zone and then they get out of it, but he was in there for like two straight days, man. That's wild.

Q. Mike actually asked Sergio earlier today if he thought that Torque and 4 Aces were the ones to beat this season. We've only got three regular season events left, and he said that the Crushers were the ones to beat.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, that's because he played on the weekend with me and he obviously knows the damage I bring to the team.

No, I mean, we started the year off hot. We were riding Chucky's coattails. Charles played lights-out to begin, and I think Bryson is just over the last two and a half months I think starting Tulsa -- I think Tulsa was the first time he had a top 5 in a long time, and I think after Singapore -- Singapore was the lowest he had been feeling with his game. Then he started moving back up, and now he's like a freight train.

We're just going to ideally just ride his coattails. But that's what team golf is about. You need one guy to go super hot or two guys to play really well, and then you want the other two guys to have those performances that pick the team up.

I think just the kind of team we have, especially this week, for instance, it's a tough golf course. This is perfect for us, because we've got four really good ball strikers on the team. As the season comes down, boils down, you look at Chicago, similar golf course, Jeddah of course you need to make birdies.

We're excited obviously about Bryson, but as a team we're really G'd up to have a hard finish.

Q. After that devastating loss in the playoff last year where you guys narrowly missed your window to proceed to the next level, does that give a little bit of extra motivation going into Miami this year?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: Yeah, I mean, the 4 Aces were outstanding. They have been for a while. But I think in terms of consistency, we were as good if not a little bit better. We just didn't get over the line as much, especially last season.

I think this season we kind of cooled off a little bit after getting off to a good start. I think all of us are trending now back into form. Paul has had some issues with injury, but now he's trending again.

I think for us, just to get that momentum going, I definitely feel there's a lot of good teams. There's some amazing talent, super players out here.

You have to be on your "A" game, and I think the four of us are up for the challenge and feeling ready to go.

Q. Can you remember the first conversation you had with Bryson about the new driver?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I actually was with him on the range when he took it out of the plastic wrapping on Wednesday morning because believe it or not that's when he first hit it last week. He had obviously done all his research, and I don't want to go down that rabbit hole, but he was convinced that it was going to be good for him, and he was right.

Q. How crazy is it to stick a new club in the bag and shoot 61-58?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Not crazy at all. Actually that's something that happens a lot in golf because golf -- everyone says it's in between the ears, and sometimes you find a club that just makes you feel like oh, man, I'm king of the jungle, I can do whatever I want. Sometimes it's a brand new putter and you've been putting poorly and you see three or four go in and you're like, I can't miss with this putter, and it's a mental thing. It's very similar with Bryson. He talked about how his mental game is the best it's been, because he trusts himself more, because he knows his equipment supports him.

That's why you flip that switch and everything starts going your way. Yeah, it happens a lot in golf, so I'm not surprised at all.

Q. Given how much of a needle mover he is from an equipment standpoint, how much of an impact do you think it's going to have with this company that is making --

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, time will tell. Time will tell. But if he keeps shooting the kind of scores he's shooting, it'll be fantastic.