Bryson takes his act to the Open

Bob Weeks

TSN Senior Reporter

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For just the second time since golf returned post-pandemic, Bryson DeChambeau is taking his act on the road. It’s time to see if the Incredible Bulk can overpower a links course and compete for the Open Championship, which is set to be played at Royal St. George’s starting Thursday after being cancelled last year. 

While he played in the Saudi Invitational in February, this will be the biggest international stage for DeChambeau who has been equal parts controversial, exceptional and delusional over the last 13 months. 

Using his packed-on muscle, the 27-year-old has tried to change the way golf is played with his molar-rattling rips at the golf ball. It’s worked at times with DeChambeau winning three titles including the U.S. Open and picking up some fat cheques, all by over-powering courses. 

But along the way he’s also found a way to challenge Patrick Reed for the title of most disliked player on the PGA Tour. 

He’s battled rules officials over fire ants and fences, called out television cameramen for hurting his image, refused to talk to the press when his caddie quit, blamed poor play on the back nine at the U.S. Open on bad luck and, most famously, has had an on-going spat with Brooks Koepka, where, more often than not, he ends up like the nerd in high school who constantly gets the wedgie from the jock.

On Tuesday as he met with the media, DeChambeau was somewhat contrite about his actions, admitting that he’s far from perfect. 

“I never grew up to become famous,” he stated. “I grew up to play golf, and that's something that people I don't think realize. It's difficult to truly understand unless you're in this environment, and sometimes you just try and make the best of situations, and they don't necessarily look good or come out the right way.

“At the end of the day I try to do the best. I'm trying to become better at it.”

He even went so far as to welcome a possible Ryder Cup pairing with his arch-enemy Koepka at the event slated for September. Koepka laughed at the possibility in an earlier media conference. 

“I think would be kind of funny actually,” DeChambeau said of what might be the most controversial grouping since Hal Sutton sent Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson out together at the 2004 event. “I think we'd do well, to be honest. It would create a little interesting vibe for the team or for the guys we're playing against.”

That remote possibility is still a few months away. This week, DeChambeau will try to see if he can use his muscle to take on a links course as he’s done to a number of parkland courses back in the United States. His record at the Open Championship is lacking, with two missed cuts and a tie for 51st in three starts. Those came before he packed on the beef and began hitting prodigious tee shots. 

“If you're hitting it 300 off the tee and it goes into the hay, it's not easy to get to the green from there,” said DeChambeau, who will have caddie Brian Ziegler on his bag for the first time since parting ways with Tim Tucker earlier this month. “I hope that the length will be a little bit of an advantage. I just have to drive it well. That's what I have to do this week, and the speed control on the greens is going to be huge. If I don't three-putt this week, I'll have a pretty good chance going into Sunday.”

Somewhat shockingly, DeChambeau even admitted to the possibility he will lay up on a number of holes, referencing Woods’ victory in this tournament in 2006 where he only pulled the driver out of his bag once in four days. 

“I think what he showcased is an awesome ability to play it on the ground, play links on the ground, which is the way it should be played I personally think, as well, albeit I do something completely different,” said DeChambeau, who listed off four holes where he won’t hit driver. 

It will certainly be a battle of a new way to play the game at a championship that prides itself on history. The meeting of the two could be more than a little interesting.