DeChambeau: "I personally think that the team events are only hurting themselves by not allowing us to play, not allowing us to qualify through some capacity"; watch the Presidents Cup live from September 22-25 on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 16 September 2022 11:27, UK
Bryson DeChambeau believes the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup are only "hurting themselves" by making LIV Golf members ineligible to represent teams in the event.
The PGA Tour suspended indefinitely all LIV Golf players who joined the breakaway competition, with the ban also applying to Team USA selection for both the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, which takes place later this month.
DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka all featured in Team USA's record-breaking Ryder Cup win last autumn but will be ineligible to feature in 2023, with Patrick Reed among the others unavailable for consideration.
"I personally think that the team events are only hurting themselves by not allowing us to play, not allowing us to qualify through some capacity, in some facet," DeChambeau said ahead of the latest LIV Golf event in Chicago.
Team USA are chasing a ninth consecutive victory in the biennial Presidents Cup contest, and DeChambeau plans to keep a close eye on proceedings at the Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina, despite his enforced absence.
"I'm a golf fan, first and foremost," he said. "I'm going to watch golf wherever it's played with some of the best players in the world, whoever it is. I think down the road that'll change.
"I think that this will become something special, even more special than what it is now, and moving forward in the future, I'll still watch other tournaments that I've won and done well at before."
DeChambeau is also among the LIV Golf members who have filed an antitrust lawsuit against PGA Tour to challenge their suspensions, with the former US Open champion still hopeful of competing on the PGA Tour again in future.
"Well, with the lawsuit, that's an ongoing investigation. I cannot comment on that. I'm sorry. I wish I could," DeChambeau added. "But I would say from a team aspect, it is sad that those governing bodies have not allowed us to be able to qualify. That's all I can say to that.
"I want to play in numerous events on the PGA Tour. It would be awesome. That's what LIV Golf has tried to do - they have allowed us to play on the PGA Tour. It's the PGA Tour barring us from doing so."
Watch the Presidents Cup from September 22-25 live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday September 22 from 5.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.