America's gladiator - DeChambeau's road to Ryder Cup talisman

What do Bryson DeChambeau and Russell Crowe have in common?

Your instinct might be 'very little' yet there is one key similarity - both men have been cast as the lead gladiator in a must-watch box-office battle.

At the start of the century, it was Oscar-winning actor Crowe playing the lead of Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott's Roman epic.

Now, DeChambeau is primed to take centre stage in what the United States hope will be a Ryder Cup-winning performance against Europe in New York.

"This is his arena. If he views himself as a gladiator golfer, this is as good as it gets," DeChambeau's team-mate Xander Schaffeule said.

DeChambeau - two-time US Open champion, audience-attracting YouTuber and MAGA-loving ally of President Donald Trump - has morphed into a talisman for the American team.

That has not previously been the case.

While he amazed the Whistling Straits crowds with his Happy Gilmore-style driving of the greens on 400-yard par fours in 2021, DeChambeau was also taunted by some home fans.

A self-styled moniker of 'The Scientist' brought derision. He also took stick from plenty of fans who sided with Brooks Koepka in the all-star American 'feud' between the pair.

The US locker room was not bowled over by DeChambeau, insiders say. There was an ambivalent, if not stone cold, attitude towards the beefy Californian.

It appears the perception among his PGA Tour peers has now changed.

Making a concerted effort to join team bonding events has seemingly helped get him back on side, with US captain Keegan Bradley also pointing to DeChambeau's "X-Factor ability" and "fiery" energy as further redeeming qualities.

"This is a tough thing for him, to come into guys that he doesn't see every day," said Bradley.

"But he's done an exceptional job of making the extra effort - flying to Napa, flying to Atlanta - doing things that are really difficult with the schedule he has.

"He's made every effort possible and been incredible in the team room."

When the Americans were humbled by the Europeans two years ago, DeChambeau was even further on the periphery than he was at Whistling Straits.

The controversial switch to LIV Golf meant he was not eligible to earn qualification points for the Rome clash.

Then-US captain Zach Johnson did not deem him worthy of a wildcard - nor even a phone call relaying the news.

Harbouring an inescapable feeling of being ruthlessly snubbed, DeChambeau set about getting back on the team for Bethpage.

"It sucked. I wanted to be there," DeChambeau said on Thursday.

"Seeing the guys lose really put a fire in my stomach. I wanted to make the team this time around."

The same complications remained, though.

As a LIV golfer, DeChambeau could only earn points during the eight major championships over the two-year qualification process.

Demonstrating his insatiable appetite for the big stage, he earned six top-10 finishes - including victory at the 2024 US Open - to claim one of the half a dozen automatic spots.

However criticism about his suitability for the team environment has continued in the run-up to Bethpage.

Brandel Chamblee, a former American player and prominent commentator, still believes DeChambeau is an individualist and described him as a "captain's nightmare"

"No doubt he is one hell of a golfer," Chamblee said on the Golf Channel. "But he's an odd duck when he's trying to blend in with the team."

Others disagree.

Venerable American writer Alex Miceli, who has known DeChambeau since starting to cover the player's career when he was a teenage talent, believes the player now fully embraces the collective ethos.

"I think Bryson was a little immature back then, four years ago, but I think he is a much more mature player and more mature person now," Miceli told BBC Sport.

During his news conference on Thursday, DeChambeau was keen to stress how invested he is in the team scenario.

Asked how he would feel if left out of any of the pairings on Friday, he said he would "totally understand".

"We're coming together as a team and we're not doing it for anything else other than our country," he said.

DeChambeau's clear national pride will be mirrored by the majority of the 50,000 fans flocking to Bethpage on Friday.

The fear is patriotism will veer into jingoism in the galleries. President Trump's appearance during the afternoon session could serve to increase the crowd volume.

DeChambeau counts Trump as a friend, often playing rounds of golf with the president and appearing on stage - wearing a 'Make American Great Again' red cap - during Trump's election celebrations last year.

DeChambeau's clear backing of Trump is another element to his divisive persona.

For this weekend, though, the hosts hope he will serve as a unifying force on the course.

Many Americans believe DeChambeau can emerge as a talismanic figure for their team to rival the impact of Rory McIlroy for Europe.

"The Europeans have always had a person who they look to for inspiration," said Miceli.

"We need someone to look to. I think Bryson brings that focus. He can handle the pressure and the gladiatorial part is partly true.

"He's not as bloodthirsty as a gladiator but no doubt he really believes in this team.

"That's why the others now look up to him and the fans love him too."