‘A complete and utter lie, all of it’: DeChambeau accuses his longtime coach of $2m extortion plot after US Open

Bryson DeChambeau’s 2024 U.S. Open victory has sparked a bitter dispute with his longtime golf teacher, Mike Schy. DeChambeau has accused Schy of attempting to extort $2 million from him after his win at Pinehurst, an allegation made in an interview with Golfweek. The conflict centers around Schy’s claim that DeChambeau failed to uphold a supposed agreement to fund the Central Valley Jon DeChambeau Memorial Junior Tour, named after DeChambeau’s late father.

According to DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff, the tension began when Schy was upset over not receiving a shout-out from DeChambeau following his victory. Falkoff advised DeChambeau to always acknowledge his entire team to avoid such issues. Schy’s feelings were hurt, leading to the dispute.

Two days after the U.S. Open, Schy reportedly demanded $2 million, stating that it was time for DeChambeau to pay up. DeChambeau refused, saying he would not give Schy almost half of his U.S. Open winnings but was willing to compensate him for help with golf club manufacturers Krank and Avoda. DeChambeau claims he offered $300,000, but Schy dismissed it as insufficient, saying he was promised a $60,000-per-year salary.

Schy also accused DeChambeau of firing Schy’s son David, who was building a putting green in DeChambeau’s backyard. DeChambeau stated that he needed a clean break from the Schy family due to the alleged extortion attempt. Schy further claimed that DeChambeau intentionally did not fund his efforts to create a more affordable junior tour circuit in their native Clovis, California area. DeChambeau denied this, asserting that Schy was leveraging his father’s name for personal gain.

DeChambeau, who has earned over $34 million in his career, including $4.3 million from his recent U.S. Open win, maintains that he is committed to supporting the Central Valley in meaningful ways. Despite the controversy, DeChambeau is set to compete in The Open Championship in Troon, Scotland, starting July 18. So far, he has only finished in the top 10 once in his six Open Championship appearances.