The bitter rivalry between Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau is not ending anytime soon. Despite a joint photo in 2023 and a Light-hearted pairing at the Crypto.com Showdown last season, the tension between the two seems to be the same even today. Earlier this week, when Bryson avoided a faceoff with Koepka in the LIV Golf Team Championship semifinals in Michigan, Brooks called him a “strange cat” and “he beats his own drum.” And now, with Brooks’ wife Jena Sims also chiming in on the matter, the rivalry has gone a step ahead.

Jena discovered this firsthand while watching her husband reignite his rivalry with DeChambeau. She was watching the Fox Sports telecast coverage when she heard Brooks describe Bryson as a “strange cat”. She responded with her own Instagram story that took the feud in an unexpected direction. The Brooks-Bryson rivalry had officially expanded beyond the two players themselves.

The actress and model created her own debate from Brooks’s comment. She revealed that she and her friends had grown up saying either “strange cat” or “odd bird” for the same concept. Jena identified herself as being from the “odd bird” camp. Meanwhile, Brooks clearly represented the “strange cat” group.

“I am sitting here watching the FOX telecast for the LIV Golf finals, and they just did like a little special thing on the Brooks vs Bryson thing,” Jena said on the matter. “And I heard Brooks saying that Bryson was a strange cat, and me and couple of my friends have this debate where you either grew up saying strange cat or odd bird. I am from the odd bird group way of thinking, but Brooks is clearly from strange cat. But they mean the same thing.” Although she did not comment on Bryson, her take on the matter represents a new turn in the longstanding feud.

Previously, the rivalry stayed between Brooks and Bryson. Now, family members are publicly weighing in on the conflict. Jena’s post brought the dispute directly into the social media sphere and engaged thousands of followers in the debate.

Additionally, Jena is known to defend her husband publicly, especially when it comes to social media. When Koepka had once misspelled Jen’s name as Jean, the golf world had trolled him for making a mistake. But, 2 years later, Mrs. Koepka defended her husband by clarifying that her nickname is Jena.

The involvement of spouses marks an escalation that didn’t exist during their original 2019-2021 feud peak. Back then, the conflict remained purely professional. Today, the rivalry has reached into their personal lives and family dynamics.

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau: How LIV Golf reignites old rivalries

LIV Golf’s team championship format has created unexpected consequences. The structure forces former enemies to confront each other directly. Previously, rivals could avoid each other for months on the traditional tours. Now, team captains must make lineup decisions that inevitably create drama.

The December 2024 Crypto.com Showdown painted a different picture entirely. Brooks and Bryson played as teammates against Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. They worked together and seemed to have resolved their differences. However, analysis reveals DeChambeau’s recent decision was based on team standings rather than personal avoidance.

Bryson sits third in the LIV Golf standings. Meanwhile, Talor Gooch ranks sixth. Conversely, Lahiri holds the 25th position while Koepka sits at 31st. Therefore, the matchup created more balanced competition on paper. Bryson DeChambeau even admitted to this by saying, “Talor’s playing some really good golf, and I felt like Baan would be a great fit for Brooks today. Sure, I could’ve gone up against him. Brooks is a great fighter, and I would’ve loved that matchup. But from a team perspective, Talor was the tougher out.”

The Saudi-backed league has witnessed several dormant rivalries resurface beyond this incident. Team competitions naturally breed these confrontations. Patrick Reed’s 4Aces regularly clash with Dean Burmester’s Stingers throughout the season. Players who previously maintained professional distance now face direct head-to-head battles. Additionally, the format makes it impossible to avoid longtime rivals.

The winner-takes-all team championship structure amplifies every decision. Captain choices become headline-worthy moments rather than routine lineup cards. Consequently, every move gets scrutinized for potential personal motivations.

LIV Golf has unintentionally created a breeding ground for renewed rivalries. The format practically guarantees these confrontational moments. Moreover, social media ensures that family members can instantly join the conversation.

Jena’s Instagram story demonstrates how modern golf rivalries now extend far beyond the original participants. The “strange cat versus odd bird” debate might seem trivial. However, it signals a new chapter in one of golf’s most famous feuds.

Which camp are you in—strange cat or odd bird? The debate continues both on social media and in golf’s newest competitive landscape.