Former Mustang Saves Special Moment

Bryson DeChambeau made sure a young golf fan received the golf ball he tossed to crowd

May 19, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Bryson DeChambeau reacts after putting on the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Clare Grant-USA TODAY Sports / Clare Grant-USA TODAY Sports

Not many of us have played in one of the major golf championships, but we’ve all experienced the feeling of defeat. That feeling is worse when you came extremely close to victory, right?

So, at some level, we can empathize with Bryson DeChambeau as he walked back to the clubhouse after finishing second at the PGA Championship this past weekend. He was about as close to perfect as a golfer can be, shooting 7-under Sunday and ending the tournament 20-under par. Yet, it wasn’t enough as Xander Schauffele’s 21-under par won the championship.

On that walk back to the clubhouse, nobody would have faulted DeChambeau for keeping his head down as he kept walking by the fans lined up beyond the rope lines. But he didn’t. The former SMU golfer saw a young kid in an orange shirt amongst the group of an adult majority and saw an opportunity for a special moment.

Bryson DeChambeau tossed a ball to a kid and a grown man swiped it from him. Bryson wasn’t having it. pic.twitter.com/7Vubu3JeR7

— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) May 20, 2024

DeChambeau tossed his golf ball towards the kid, but the ball landed in the hands of an adult male, who took off running. DeChambeau saw it, stopped in his tracks and, putter in hand, began pointing and yelling at the person to bring the ball back. They did and gave it to the kid. The last image of the video is of the kid holding the ball with a big smile. So, the situation ended in a positive manner.

First off, DeChambeau should be applauded for his actions. He just lost the PGA Championship after playing amazing golf all weekend. He could’ve easily kept on walking after tossing the ball, but he didn’t. Watch the video and pay attention to how the ex-Mustang moves his feet and turns his body around in less time than it takes to blink. He then proceeds to forcefully, yet professionally, order the man to come back and give the ball to the kid.

Again, in that situation, it wouldn’t be surprising for DeChambeau to keep walking and not intervene. But he did and good for him. If karma is real, DeChambeau has a lot of it banked for his next major championship.

But there’s a bigger issue highlighted by this situation.

There’s nothing more exciting as a fan at any sporting event to catch that sport’s ball. Whether it’s a foul ball at a baseball game, an errant pass that goes into the stands at a basketball game or a hockey puck sailing over the glass, we all want to be the one to catch it.

I’m a 35-year-old man who has never caught a foul ball at a baseball game and it’s definitely on my bucket list.

What’s even better is having a player toss you the ball after a big play or game. It’s a memorable moment for most, especially kids. It excites them and may even lead them playing the sport themselves. It happened to me when a random Houston Oilers offensive lineman gave me one of his gloves after a game at Cowboys Stadium. Several years later I chose to play offensive line for my junior high team.

Like me, that kid isn’t going to turn around and sell it on ebay, they’re going to put in a special display case and admire it (or in my case wear the glove around the house and take it with me to practices). My point is, players giving kids a ball, glove, wristband or the jersey off their back is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Sometimes, though, adults ruin that moment. Adults need to realize at sporting events no player is going to toss or hand them anything. We’re more likely to try and sell it. I get that excitement, but we have to temper it. Kids can’t go online and buy a golf ball used by DeChambeau, but adults can (or wait for him to hit a ball into the water and dive after it).

In the video, there’s only one kid amongst a group of what appears to be adult males. Everyone knew who that ball was meant for and we should be satisfied witnessing the kids’ happiness in-person.

Who knows? That whole moment could turn into a 30-for-30 documentary because that kid in the orange shirt is competing against DeChambeau on the PGA Tour.