Bryson Dechambeau-DraftKings Partnership to Debut at Masters

Don’t be surprised to see the DraftKings logo on Bryson DeChambeau’s signature golf cap at the 2020 Masters. That’s because DeChambeau has agreed to a multi-year partnership with the gaming company that will make the world’s 6th best golfer and recent U.S. Open champion the face of DraftKings golf.

.@DraftKings has announced a multiyear deal with golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who will become the first active professional golfer to represent the DFS brand, and will sport the DraftKings logo on his hat starting with The Masters.https://t.co/YC8bACJKal

— Sports Business Journal (@sbjsbd) November 2, 2020

As part of the partnership, DeChambeau will become DraftKings’ brand ambassador in golf. He will participate in marketing, VIP-centric collaborations, including playing a round of golf with or giving golf lessons to fans. DeChambeau will also be producing data-based golf content and talk about other sports. However, he won’t be talking about gambling per se, including odds to win golf tournaments.

Said Jason Robins, co-founder, and CEO of DraftKings:

“Professional golf has been a key growth sport in both daily fantasy and sports betting, and our collaboration with Bryson DeChambeau is a notable new layer of mainstream brand exposure and fan experience. As one of golf’s most promising athletes and the current U.S. Open champion, DraftKings is strategically aligning with winning athletes like Bryson who embody and embolden the competitive fire of our customers.”

Golf and Sports Betting

Golf has grown significantly popular in the sports betting industry in recent years with the betting handle on the sport seeing year-over-year growth of more than 10 times. Earlier this year, DraftKings became the PGA Tour’s first-ever sport betting partner. Golf is also the 4th most popular sport for DraftKings’ Daily Fantasy Sports contests.

Last June 1, the PGA Tour approved a change in its policy that allowed players to have sponsorship deals with gambling-related companies. In mid-October, Jason Kokrak sported the BetMGM logo on his golf cap in the C.J. Tournament in Las Vegas and won the event.

DeChambeau won’t necessarily win the Masters because of the DraftKings logo on his cap but according to the top golf sportsbooks, the golfer popularly known as the Mad Scientist has the best chance to win the Green Jacket in the first-ever Masters Tournament to be held in the fall.

First Time Favorite

In the latest odds board at SportsBetting.ag, DeChambeau is the current odds on favorite to win the Masters at +800. This marks the first time in DeChambeau’s career where he is the betting favorite in a golf major. But after his recent string of success, DeChambeau is without question the man to beat in Augusta.

SI November Cover Story:

Bryson DeChambeau will be the 2020 Masters favorite, but he says he is not gunning for a certain number of titles. He’s interested in chasing something more elusive https://t.co/s28nzns7PM pic.twitter.com/dGwb3XONAJ

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 29, 2020

DeChambeau finished 4th at TPC Harding after not having a Top 10 finish in his first 14 major starts. Four events later, he dominated Winged Foot and won the U.S. Open by six strokes. While the other top golfers are playing tournaments to prepare for the Masters, DeChambeau has chosen to stay home to train his bulked-up body to peak for next week’s event in Augusta.

World number 2 Jon Rahm is second in the latest odds board at +1100 while the world’s top-ranked golfer Dustin Johnson is third at +1200 in his first tournament back from battling COVID-19. Rory McIlroy is also listed at +1200 in his quest to win the only major that has eluded him in his illustrious golf career.

A Fall Masters

This year’s Masters is a rarity. 82 of the 83 editions of this major finished in the month of April and only the inaugural one finished in March. However, with sports disrupted this year due to the pandemic, the Masters will be held in Fall for the first time ever. Having a first-time golf major odds-on-favorite who is also the first-ever golfer to wear a logo of a gambling company in Augusta National makes the 2020 Masters one of a kind.

Coming in November. #themasters pic.twitter.com/SvVqlimLlD

— The Masters (@TheMasters) October 15, 2020

DeChambeau grew up in California and studied Physics at SMU. In 2015, he won the NCAA Division I individual championship and the U.S. Amateur title, becoming the fifth golfer to win both titles in the same year. He turned pro in 2016 and earned his first sponsorship agreement with Cobra Puma Golf.

Aside from DraftKings, the current FedEx Cup points leader also has endorsement deals with the likes of Bridgestone Golf, Bentley, Rolex, NetJets, and Bose. He is also an investor with the companies LA Golf Shafts, JumboMax Grips, SIOK Golf, and Wahlburgers.