DeChambeau and Demaiter Go Public With a Kiss in Indianapolis
Bryson DeChambeau and Mikayla Demaiter have officially confirmed their new relationship in the most public way possible. On Sunday, August 23, the LIV Golf star was captured on the tournament broadcast sharing a kiss with the former hockey goalie and social media sensation after completing his final round at The Club at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis.
The moment came after DeChambeau, 32, had just finished a tied-for-third-place performance at the LIV Golf Indianapolis event. As reported by The Athletic, he shook hands, grabbed an energy drink, and then kissed Demaiter before making a cryptic promise to the camera: "There's something fun coming." The two-time U.S. Open champion will have to settle for celebrating his podium finish with his new partner rather than a victory, as Michael La Sasso took the individual title and Jon Rahm finished second.
For Demaiter, 26, the appearance was a clear signal of support. The Canadian native, who retired from competitive hockey at just 19 due to injury, shared a photo of a golf course on her Instagram Story on Sunday, along with a mirrored selfie in a polka-dot two-piece set. While she did not tag a location in her posts, the timing aligned perfectly with the tournament in Indiana, suggesting she was on the ground to cheer on her boyfriend.
From Guest Pass to Girlfriend: A Timeline of the Romance
Rumors of a potential romance first heated up earlier in August at LIV Golf New York, where Demaiter was spotted carrying a guest pass and wearing a Crushers GC hat — the LIV team that DeChambeau captains. At the time, speculation ran wild across social media, but neither party publicly commented on the nature of their relationship.
A source subsequently confirmed to Us Weekly that the pair are indeed an item. "They are both pretty private when it comes to relationships," the insider explained. The source added that although the relationship is "pretty new," both DeChambeau and Demaiter are "very happy" right now.
The confirmation marks a new chapter for DeChambeau, who has largely kept his personal life out of the spotlight during his successful career on both the PGA and LIV tours. His focus on the golf course has been well-documented, from his intense training regimens to his strategic approach to the game, but this public display suggests a willingness to let fans see a softer side.
Who Is Mikayla Demaiter? The Former Goalie Turned Influencer
While Demaiter may be new to the golf world, she is far from a stranger to the spotlight. The 26-year-old has amassed a following of over 3 million on Instagram and 2.7 million on TikTok, making her one of the most recognizable figures in the hockey-influencer space. Her popularity stems from a unique combination of athletic credibility and social media savvy.
Demaiter's hockey career was promising before it was cut short. She played as a goalie for the Bluewater Hawks in Canada's Provincial Women's Hockey League, a highly competitive junior league. However, a devastating injury forced her to hang up her pads at age 19. Rather than disappearing from the sport entirely, she pivoted to documenting her hockey lifestyle online, often blending her past as an athlete with her current status as a fashion and lifestyle model.
"Everyone asks me why I chose to be a goalie, and the answer is simple — there's nothing I love more than being number one," she wrote in a May Instagram post that highlighted her affinity for the position.
Her ability to maintain relevance in the hockey world from the sidelines is noteworthy. In November 2024, she shared a video of herself in full pads skating on the ice with the caption, "guess you could say I'm a keeper..." That post was a reminder that she still carries the athletic identity that first made her famous, even as she has evolved into a full-time content creator and model.
DeChambeau's Season, LIV Golf, and the Competitive Landscape
The romance comes at a pivotal time in DeChambeau's career. His move to the LIV Golf circuit in 2022 was one of the most controversial decisions in recent golf history, as he was among the highest-profile players to leave the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed league. Since then, he has served as the captain of the Crushers GC, a role he takes seriously both on and off the course.
His performance in Indianapolis — a tie for third place — continues a solid stretch of play. The two-time U.S. Open champion has proven he can still compete with the best in the world, regardless of which tour he calls home. The competition on LIV has been fierce this season, with Jon Rahm and Michael La Sasso consistently jockeying for position at the top of the leaderboard, making every stroke count in a format that rewards aggressive play.
Looking forward, the LIV Golf circuit faces an uncertain future. The league's long-term viability has been a constant subject of speculation since its inception, and players have had to navigate that uncertainty while planning their schedules. In response, DeChambeau announced earlier this week that he intends to compete on the DP World Tour for the first time since 2022, specifically at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa this December.
"I can't wait," DeChambeau said in a video posted to social media on Monday, August 17. "I'm honored to be a part of it." This move represents more than just another tournament; it signals DeChambeau's willingness to maintain a global presence and keep his competitive edge sharp, regardless of which circuit hosts him.
A Growing Trend: Sports WAGs and the New Celebrity Endorsement
The relationship between DeChambeau and Demaiter also highlights a broader trend in the intersection of sports, social media, and celebrity influence. Demaiter represents a new class of athlete-adjacent celebrities who leverage their own fame to support their partners, creating a synergistic relationship that benefits both brands.
For DeChambeau, having a partner with a massive digital following introduces his world to a new audience. Demaiter's fans — many of whom are young, sports-interested, and highly engaged with her content — may now take an interest in LIV Golf and the DP World Tour, simply because they want to follow her life. For Demaiter, the association with a world-class golfer elevates her profile beyond the hockey niche into the wider sports celebrity ecosystem.
The public display of affection in Indianapolis was not just a personal moment but a strategic one. By kissing on camera and hinting at "something fun coming," the pair have created a narrative that keeps them in the headlines. This kind of controlled privacy — sharing enough to generate buzz, but not so much that they lose their mystique — is a delicate balance that many celebrity couples attempt but few achieve.
The Road Ahead: What's Next for Golf's Newest Power Couple?
The confirmation of their relationship leaves several open threads. DeChambeau's upcoming appearance at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa will be closely watched, not just for his performance, but for whether Demaiter will join him for the international trip. Fellow golfer Juju Chan, the fiancée of PGA Tour golfer Sahith Theegala, has recently spoken about the challenges and rewards of life as a touring partner, noting that the lifestyle varies significantly based on the player's status and tournament schedule. DeChambeau's global itinerary would certainly put any new relationship to the test.
Within the LIV ecosystem, the couple's public appearances could also become a staple. Demaiter's previous appearance at the New York event with a Crushers GC hat was a hint, but her presence in Indianapolis with a kiss on camera is a full endorsement. It would be a surprise if she weren't in attendance at more Crushers events as the season progresses.
DeChambeau's promise of "something fun coming" remains vague, but it adds a layer of anticipation to his upcoming activities. Whether it's a new tournament, a collaborative project with Demaiter, or simply a personal announcement, the golf world will be paying attention.
This development also places DeChambeau in the context of his peers who have embraced public relationships as part of their public personas. In an era where athletes are increasingly judged on their personalities as much as their performance, having a high-profile, well-regarded partner can be a significant asset. From the NFL to the NBA, the power of the "power couple" narrative in sports is well-established, and golf is no exception.
The pair's shared commitment to privacy, despite their public platforms, might be their most defining characteristic. Both DeChambeau and Demaiter have expressed, through their actions, that they intend to control their own narrative. The confirmation of the relationship was handled through a whisper campaign to a trusted media outlet, and the kiss was a natural, unscripted moment on a broadcast — a calculated yet genuine reveal.
For now, fans of both golf and social media influence will likely track their next moves with intense interest. The combination of DeChambeau's athletic gravitas and Demaiter's digital reach could easily make them one of the most followed couples in sports, a position that carries both opportunity and scrutiny. As the sports world continues to merge with entertainment, the partnership between the two offers an example of how modern athlete-celebrity relationships function in the public eye.
Their story also reflects the changing nature of sports media consumption. The viral moment of a kiss at a golf tournament underscores how athlete personal lives now drive as much engagement as their professional achievements. This is a dynamic that leagues, sponsors, and media outlets are all adjusting to, even as it plays out in real-time on broadcasts.
Whether they like it or not, DeChambeau and Demaiter are now part of a larger conversation about the blending of sports and entertainment. Their ability to navigate that space successfully, while maintaining the privacy they reportedly value, will likely shape their public image for years to come. In the meantime, there's still a golf season to finish, and for DeChambeau, a return to international competition to prepare for.
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