Scottie Scheffler addresses growing rivalry between Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau after The Open - Fox News

What the report says

Fox News, via OutKick, reported that Scottie Scheffler weighed in on the increasingly visible tension between Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau ahead of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota. Asked whether the rivalry benefits golf, Scheffler said the sport differs from head-to-head games because players primarily contend with the course rather than directly stopping an opponent. He also indicated he is not fond of personal attacks in golf.

The discussion followed The Open Championship, which Fox News described as ending the 2026 major season but being overshadowed by DeChambeau-related controversy. The report said DeChambeau faced criticism from Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee over his strategy and priorities, then responded with a strong opening round. Later, rules officials assessed him a two-stroke penalty for improving the area around his backswing, a decision the article said angered him and led to talk of a possible withdrawal.

McIlroy did not defend DeChambeau, according to the report, saying he was not fond of him and believed the penalty was justified. Scheffler, by contrast, was cited as saying DeChambeau was not a “cheater.” Fox News framed the episode as another chapter in a broader divide between McIlroy, a prominent PGA Tour loyalist during golf’s LIV dispute, and DeChambeau, one of LIV Golf’s biggest names and a major presence in online golf content.

The story matters because golf continues to navigate personality-driven attention alongside unresolved PGA Tour-LIV tensions and Ryder Cup storylines. Scheffler’s comments offered a moderating view: rivalries may draw interest, but in his view golf’s central competition remains player versus course.