"What do I do next?" Bryson DeChambeau opens up on depression and loneliness

Bryson DeChambeau has opened up about his battles with anger, depression and loneliness during his career.

The LIV Golf player recently sat down with Indian entrepreneur and podcast host, Raj Shamani, to discuss a range of topics.

American DeChambeau, 33, spoke about his future in the breakaway league and addressed allegations of cheating.

He also reflected on his issues with anger and experiencing depression and loneliness throughout his career.

The two-time major champion said missing 14 consecutive cuts shortly after turning professional left him in what he described as a "super depressive state".

"I was mentally unstable, for sure," he said.

DeChambeau, who won the US Open in 2020 and 2024, said he had been "on the edge of not going to a really great place" and relied on those close to him to help him through difficult periods.

"I felt depressed," he added. "There were times where I was very on the edge of not going to a really great place. 

"And I had to be pulled out numerous times from it by other people that cared deeply about me."

DeChambeau also spoke about the loneliness that can come with success, recalling the moment he woke up after winning his first US Open in 2020 at Winged Foot.

He said he remembered looking at the trophy beside his bed before realising he had nobody with whom to share the achievement.

"I look over, and you're like, 'Oh, I won the US Open.' And then right after you say that, it's like, 'What do I do next?' I'm in bed alone," he said.

"I don't have my family with me. I don't have anybody around. And it's a real moment of frailty."

DeChambeau added: "You give up most of your life for this. I gave up 20 years of my life to do this. And I did it. Well, now what do I do?"

He also addressed the anger which has contributed to his reputation as one of golf's more divisive figures, admitting he has often felt misunderstood.

"I've felt like that my entire life," he said.

He said his frustration partly came from people mistaking his passion for golf for arrogance, creating what he described as a "perpetual cycle" of anger.

"And that's what happens all the time," he said. 

"People mistake that passion for being childish. It's not, actually. There are people who do act childishly, for sure. 

"But I think that passion, getting really frustrated, really pissed off, and holding yourself to a professional level are two different things, too, by the way.

"Holding yourself to a professional standard is what golfers should aspire to. 

"And I admit that how I handled that rope situation was obviously not how it should have gone down at all as a professional."

DeChambeau was referring to an incident during LIV Golf's event in Chicago in 2022. He walked faced-first into a gallery rope after a spectator lifted it, causing an injury to his right eye. 

He added: "But it was because I was so passionate about how poorly I was playing that it came out as a reaction.

"Like, why is everything bad happening to me? Is everything going wrong? And, yeah, I'm playing for a lot of money. 

"I should have been more introspective about that and had better... I should have had a better perspective. Like, well, you're still playing for a lot."

DeChambeau said he now believes his YouTube channel has helped him reveal a more authentic side of his personality and change how he is perceived by the public.

He also now uses breathing exercises and gives himself between 10 and 15 seconds before reacting to situations that frustrate him.

"Your first reaction, that immediate reaction, can be subdued by just sitting with yourself for a second," he said.

He admitted he still experiences moments of anger but added that learning to manage the emotion had changed his approach.

"I think it'd do a lot of people a service if parents or education systems taught that. 

"Don't subdue somebody's anger. 

"Help them transition it into getting what they want and how they can use it effectively."

DeChambeau also acknowledged that his behaviour had not always been reasonable, particularly during periods when he struggled with his game.

He said those experiences had given him a different perspective on success, insisting his achievements in golf no longer define him.

"What defines me now is the footprint that I leave on this earth," he said.

"And this is just a part of it. It ain't the whole story."