‘It’s a business decision’: Bryson DeChambeau explains decision to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf

Bryson DeChambeau insists his decision to join LIV Golf was “a business decision, first and foremost”.

The former US Open champion is set to be suspended from the PGA Tour when he plays the second LIV Golf Invitational Series at Portland later this month.

DeChambeau is set to pocket a nine-figure sum for defecting to the Saudi Arabia-backed rebel tour and the controversial player has detailed his reasons ahead of the US Open at Brookline.

“There was a lot of financials to it and a lot of time. I get to have a life outside of the game of golf as well,” DeChambeau said.

“It’s a business decision for my family’s future, and it gave me a lot of free time, so it cleared a lot things up for me.

“I think we’ll have a new legacy. It was very difficult. It’s been weighing on everybody out here for the past couple of years.

“For me, what’s gone on has not been great but they [Saudi Arabia] are moving in the right direction from what I can see and what we’ve had conversations about.

“I would love to play PGA Tour events when they would allow me to.”

DeChambeau, who has eight victories on the PGA Tour, is now slated to play the final seven LIV Golf events this year, with his debut on June 30 at Pumpkin Ridge.

DeChambeau can expect to be suspended by the PGA Tour, with commissioner Jay Monahan already suspending 17 tour players, although at least half of that group having resigned their PGA Tour membership.

“It’s not my decision to make. That’s someone else’s decision that’s making that for me,” DeChambeau said.

Monahan has made it clear other players who go the LIV route will also be suspended, although DeChambeau is yet to resign his PGA Tour membership and hopes he can continue to play on the tour.

DeChambeau has pulled out of next week’s Travelers Championship due to the distraction he would cause by attending.