Brooks Koepka has heaped huge praise on his former PGA Tour foe and now LIV Golf partner, Bryson DeChambeau, in what marks a remarkable turnaround from their very public feud spanning 2019 and 2020.
During those years, the relationship between Koepka and DeChambeau was notably frosty, stemming from the former criticising his compatriot's slow pace of play before both stars engaged in various jabs at each other on social media.
However, they buried the hatchet at the Ryder Cup in 2021 and subsequently both switched to the breakaway LIV Golf circuit a year later. With the pair set to team up to face Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler in the upcoming 'The Showdown' in Las Vegas, Koepka sung the praises of his old rival.
"We all get older, we all mature a little bit, and then you realize, 'Hey, Bryson's a good dude'," Koepka said. "I think he's severely misunderstood, and I think the world is starting to see who Bryson DeChambeau is, which is cool.
"I'm the first person to admit it: I was wrong with what my original thoughts were."
Giving credit back, Bryson DeChambeau spoke of his newfound understanding and respect for Koepka since joining forces at LIV Golf,
"I've always had respect for Brooks and what he's done," declared DeChambeau. "Obviously, early on, we didn't really understand each other. Pretty rocky relationship... We had our spats, but when we both went to LIV, we realized we had quite a few things in common.
"Like [the film] Step Brothers, in a sense. We've developed a pretty solid relationship and have good respect for each other now."
Koepka also believes that their decision to join the breakaway league helped them mend their previously strained relationship. "We've come a long way," stated the five-time major winner. "Going to LIV, honestly, I think that was a big moment for us, right?
"We were forced - well, I don't want to say forced - but we were communicating a lot more, and our conversation became a lot more open. From there, I'm the first person to admit I can be a bit stubborn."
The upcoming 'Showdown' between four of the world's top players is eagerly awaited amid the lack of regular competitive golf between the LIV circuit and the PGA Tour.
DeChambeau, looking forward to the sport coming together again, added: "The public deserves this. They've been waiting for a long time. This isn't just going to be a one-and-done sort of thing. This is about bringing the game back together."
