Bryson DeChambeau spends a lot of time signing autographs for kids, and interestingly, he has a good reason for it.

At the LIV Golf South Africa press conference on March 22 at Steyn City, a reporter told a story about a young fan who started playing golf after getting Ernie Els' autograph. When DeChambeau was asked if he had a similar moment growing up, he had a lot to talk about.

When the 32-year-old golfer was just 11, his father took him to River Bend Golf Club, now called Dragonfly, for the SaveMart Shootout charity event. Arnold Palmer was there, the legend he looked up to.

Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, Peter Jacobsen, Nick Watney, and Jason Gore were also present there. He met each golfer, and every one of them signed his hat and said, "We'll see you out there one day."

But before that, he got called up to hit shots in front of all of them.

"It was the most nerve-racking moment in my entire life as an 11-year-old," he said.

Peter Jacobsen was giving him a hard time from the side, and the whole crowd was watching. His hands went numb. He hit three drives right down the middle anyway.

"You could lay a blanket over them at that time," Bryson DeChambeau said.

He was a kid. He never forgot it, and that day stayed with him all the way to Steyn City, where he was now the one doing the signing.

Bryson DeChambeau's Childhood Memory Says a Lot About Where DeChambeau Is Right Now

Bryson DeChambeau won LIV Golf South Africa on March 22, beating Jon Rahm in a playoff. Both players came in at 26-under after 72 holes. It was his second win in a row after winning in Singapore the week before and his first back-to-back wins since 2018.

The week was tough away from the course. He cried on the 16th hole during the final round and spoke about losing his father after the round. But he kept most of it private.

His dad was the one who took him to the charity event at River Bend when he was a kid. He was there the day Arnold Palmer signed his son's hat.

DeChambeau said LIV Golf gives players a real chance to do that for kids today.

Charles Howell III pointed out during the same press conference that when he played the Presidents Cup in South Africa back in 2003, DeChambeau was only 10 years old. Now he's the one the kids are lining up for.

Who made you want to pick up a golf club for the first time? Was it a legend you watched, or a moment you still remember?

Tell us your story in the comments below.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Shraabona Sengupta