PGA Tour's Graham DeLaet brings bushy beard to clean-cut world of golf

The bushy beard boom has officially reached its peak.

The beard, which has grown in popularity over the past few years, has now infiltrated the clean-cut conservative sport of professional golf.

And we have Saskatchewan-born PGA Tour player Graham DeLaet to thank.

Here's a photo DeLaet posted to Twitter today with the stubble-faced Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson.

For a comparison, here'sa photo from 2013of the beardlessgolfer fromWeyburn, Sask.

However, bringing the beard to the mainstream masses hasn't been easy for DeLaet.

In his Twitter profile, he's had to defend his facial hair choice against the beard haters: "I wear a beard because I like to. If you don't like it, go hug a bald faced man."

If the criticismisn't enough,DeLaetalso has to deal with the comparisons.

The last tweet mentioned longtimePGA Tour caddy Mike "Fluff" Cowan. Here's a photo of his wonderful whiskers.

The comparisons don't stop there.

Even the PGA Tour weighed in.

Here isDeLaet's comeback.

But there is love out there for the golfer's beard.

Theories for DeLaet'sfacial hairgrowth?

He could be in a secret beard-growing contest with PGA Tour golfer Boo Weekley.

Or if we go back to the photo ofDeLaetandDonaldson, the golfer could alsobe vying for a role in the History series Vikings, whichthe baseball player appeared in.