Bryson DeChambeau just wrapped up one of his toughest weeks on LIV Golf, and it happened right in front of President Donald Trump. The two-time major champion finished far off the pace at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.
Despite the rough individual result, DeChambeau still found time for a warm, friendly conversation with Trump once his final round ended. Their exchange focused mostly on the course itself and how brutal it played all week.
Meanwhile, Joaquin Niemann was putting on a show of his own, and DeChambeau’s team still managed to salvage the week with a big win in the separate team competition standings.
Bryson DeChambeau’s rough week at Bedminster
Trump National Golf Club Bedminster hosted LIV Golf New York last week, drawing a stacked international field to New Jersey. President Trump attended in person, watching closely as the tournament unfolded across the tricky layout.
Bryson DeChambeau struggled badly on the course, finishing tied for 38th place at 7 over par. That disappointing result left him a full 23 shots behind the winner, Joaquin Niemann, by the final round.
The poor showing felt unusual for DeChambeau, since he had already won twice on LIV Golf earlier this season. His flat, frustrated play throughout the week looked nothing like his typical aggressive, confident style of play.
Trump watches as Niemann dominates the field
Joaquin Niemann delivered a dominant performance, finishing at 16 under par to win LIV Golf New York by 3 shots over Harold Varner III. The victory was Niemann’s record 9th career LIV Golf individual title and his 2nd win of the 2026 season.
President Trump attended Sunday’s final round at Bedminster after receiving loud cheers from spectators during his appearances around the course that weekend.
Niemann’s performance stood out on a difficult layout. Crushers GC won the team competition at 6 over par, the highest winning team score in LIV Golf history, while several leading players, including DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, finished over par.
What DeChambeau told Trump after the round
After Sunday’s final round, DeChambeau spoke with Trump and later told reporters that their conversation focused largely on the difficulty of the Bedminster course.
DeChambeau said Trump congratulated the Crushers and described the golf as fantastic. DeChambeau responded by telling Trump how difficult the course had been, adding that he “got my butt kicked this week.”
DeChambeau also praised the treatment LIV players receive at Trump properties, describing the hospitality and staff as consistently strong.
Little-known fact: As a teenager, DeChambeau borrowed a physics textbook from the library and rewrote its full contents into a three-ring binder just to understand it more deeply.
Crushers GC salvage team title win
Despite DeChambeau’s difficult individual week, Crushers GC won the team competition at Bedminster. The team finished at 6 over par, 2 shots ahead of Legion XIII and Torque GC.
The first-place team earned $3 million in team-retained prize money under LIV Golf’s 2026 payout structure. LIV also introduced a separate player bonus pool for members of podium-finishing teams.
Trump congratulated DeChambeau and the Crushers after the round. Under LIV Golf’s current regular-season format, all 4 scores from each team count toward the team total in every round.
Rahm clinches season-long individual title
DeChambeau’s finish at Bedminster ended his mathematical chances of catching Jon Rahm in the 2026 LIV Golf Individual Championship.
Rahm finished T41 at 8 over, one shot behind DeChambeau, who tied for 38th at 7 over. Rahm had entered the week with more than a 200-point advantage, and DeChambeau needed to close that gap substantially to remain in contention heading to Indianapolis.
DeChambeau had won twice earlier in 2026, but his Bedminster result left Rahm beyond reach with one regular-season event remaining. Rahm therefore secured his third consecutive LIV Golf season-long individual championship.
Trump and DeChambeau have longstanding golf ties
DeChambeau and Trump have played golf together publicly on multiple occasions. In July 2024, they filmed an 18-hole episode of DeChambeau’s Break 50 series at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
Their relationship also extends into Trump’s current administration. DeChambeau serves as chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and Trump has publicly described him as a longtime friend.
DeChambeau has also spoken positively about Trump-owned golf properties and the hospitality LIV players receive when competing at them.
Little-known fact: Trump’s first golf property, now Trump International in West Palm Beach, opened in 1999 on land he leased from the local airport authority.
Saudi PIF chief also attends the event
Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, attended Sunday’s final round at Bedminster and was seen with President Trump.
Afterward, DeChambeau said he believed Al-Rumayyan needed to speak with the President, but he did not intend to become involved in those discussions.
PIF has not yet ended its support for LIV Golf. The fund said in April that further investment beyond the 2026 season was no longer aligned with its strategy. On August 5, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil announced that a new lead investor had signed an agreement approved by the league’s board, with the transaction expected to progress toward finalization.
What this means for LIV Golf’s future
DeChambeau has one regular-season event remaining, LIV Golf Indianapolis from August 20 through August 23. Although Rahm has already clinched the season-long individual championship, DeChambeau remains 2nd in the standings and can still secure a podium position.
LIV Golf has also announced an agreement with a new lead investor as it prepares for a future without PIF backing after 2026. The investor has not been publicly identified, and final transaction details remain pending.
LIV Golf’s official schedule still lists the Michigan Team Championship for August 27 through August 30. Outside reports have raised doubts about whether that event will ultimately take place, so its status should be monitored before publication updates are made.
TL;DR
- DeChambeau finished T38 at 7 over par, 23 shots behind winner Joaquin Niemann at LIV Golf New York.
- Niemann finished at 16 under for his record 9th career LIV Golf individual title and 2nd victory of 2026.
- After the final round, DeChambeau told Trump that Bedminster had been so difficult he “got my butt kicked this week.”
- Crushers GC won the team competition at 6 over par, while DeChambeau’s individual result ended his chances of catching Jon Rahm for the 2026 season title.
- The winning team earned $3 million in team-retained prize money rather than DeChambeau simply receiving a personal share of that amount.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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