Bryson DeChambeau has reason to be positive despite LIV Golf star suffering brutal setback

Bryson DeChambeau has fallen outside the world's top 10 for the first time in over a year - but there are still positives to take for the LIV Golf player

Bryson DeChambeau's slip to No. 11 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) has left the top 10 bereft of LIV Golf players, yet fellow LIV golfer Lucas Herbert has hailed the Saudi-backed league as "perfect" for golfers.

Despite a year that saw DeChambeau clinch his second major with the US Open in June and secure a runner-up spot at the PGA Championship, his stellar performances haven't kept him in the world's elite top 10. The lack of ranking points from LIV events has seen him drop in the standings, with his major successes insufficient to maintain his position over regular PGA Tour competitors.

Yet, it's not all bad news for those who've jumped ship to LIV Golf. Herbert, another player who defected to the controversial circuit, has been vocal about its benefits. Chatting with News.com.au about his switch, he said: "I played so much more in 2023, but it's just a perfect schedule now.

"You get your time to get away from the game and get your development blocks to be able to get better, not just from a perspective of hitting balls for three or four days and then go to an event, you can actually really work on your game and elevate your skill set rather than just tune it up."

Boasting the ability to work on his game during points of the year, Herbert was in no doubt that he has improved as a player since joining the PIF-backed tour.

Herbert, who has seen his skills sharpen since joining the PIF-backed tour, was full of praise for the experience. He enthused: "So just the knowledge I've been able to zap from my teammates at various stages throughout the year has been awesome, and my game has massively benefited from that."

The Aussie golfer also highlighted the close-knit atmosphere of LIV Golf, contrasting it with the PGA Tour's more transient nature. "I've loved the fact that it feels like a real family out there with LIV obviously," he said. "If you think of PGA Tour events, 156 players, 156 different caddies, 156 different families, whether it be girlfriends, parents, kids, everything, and then that changes week to week."

He further noted: "Players go home, others come out, and you just don't get the ability to get to know guys as well as you know out here on LIV, it's like it's the same 54 guys every week."

On the topic of LIV players not receiving ranking points, OWGR chief Peter Dawson told the Associated Press: "We are not at war with them. This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical."

He clarified the stance by adding, "LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They're just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them."