Bryson DeChambeau playing 'high-stakes game of chicken' in tense PGA Tour stand-off

Bryson DeChambeau has drawn the ire of golf figures after calling for "egos to be dropped" in discussions about a potential PGA Tour return.

DeChambeau's future is in limbo following confirmation the Saudi PIF would pull funding for LIV Golf at the end of the year.

The 32-year-old is arguably LIV's biggest asset, but after burning bridges with senior PGA Tour officials following his 2022 defection, faces a bumpy road back to the top of world golf.

READ MORE: Dragons bosses in awkward spot after $900k recruit's reveal

READ MORE: Singer, life coach hired as 'breath educator' for AFL club

READ MORE: Former NRL star reveals homelessness, addiction battle

After rejecting an olive branch to rejoin earlier in the year, DeChambeau is facing heavy sanctions before he would be allowed to return, which he described as "quite unfortunate … considering what I could do for them".

"The egos need to get dropped – everybody needs to come in with a level-headed playing field, with an opportunistic mindset to grow the game of golf," he said per ESPN ahead of this weekend's LIV event in Virginia.

"That's why I came over here. That's why I do what I do on YouTube.

"From my perspective, I'd love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more. l'd love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube.

"And then I'd love to play tournaments that want me."

Renowned golf writer Eamon Lynch said the suggestion the PGA Tour needed Bryson more than Bryson needed the PGA Tour was laughable.

"If Bryson does have one talent, it's illustrating the delta between self-awareness and self-absorption, and I don't think he's ever quite figured that out," he said on the Golf Channel.

"I did laugh when he's talking about dubbing his videos on YouTube because he'd like to talk about himself in many tongues, instead of just the one right now."

Four LIV golfers were offered the chance to return to the PGA Tour, but only Brooks Koepka accepted. He is back playing on the PGA Tour, albeit in a limited capacity.

Aussie Cameron Smith and Spaniard Jon Rahm were the other two eligible under the tour's Returning Member Program, but also elected to stay put. DeChambeau is off-contract with LIV at the end of the year, while Rahm is signed for "several years yet".

The Spaniard has this week come to an agreement with the European PGA Tour that would allow him to play events on their circuit, and also make him eligible for the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

DeChambeau has no such agreement. While he has an exemption into the majors until the end of 2029, he said he would focus on growing his YouTube channel, which already has close to three million subscribers.

He famously hit a hole-in-one over his house, and has a long-running series where he tries to 'break 50' at public courses around the US.

Fellow Golf Channel panellist Ryan Lavner said DeChambeau was playing a "high-stakes game of chicken" that could be "career suicide".

"Bryson is daring the PGA Tour to go on without him. This is a high-stakes game of chicken and I honestly think this would be one that the PGA Tour might want to take on," he said.

"If Bryson DeChambeau is content going the YouTube route and only focusing on content creation in between the four major championships … maybe that keeps him fresh, maybe it's career suicide.

"The tour can go on without him. One of their superpowers for the PGA Tour is their ability to regenerate stars. Maybe they don't have quite the star power of a Bryson DeChambeau, but look at all the players that have emerged on the world stage since 2022."

Lavner went on to list world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Arberg, Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup as examples of the names rapidly becoming stars in their own right.

"You might never get the same sizzle or pop as a Bryson DeChambeau, but the PGA Tour is going to be going on without him," he said.

"The way that he left back in 2022, when he was public enemy number one, the PGA Tour might want to see what life without Bryson can look like and see if he changes his tune."