RFU CHIEF AXES JOBS
Huge-hitting muscleman DeChambeau insists he’s changed the shape of golf
BULKED-UP Bryson DeChambeau claims he has changed the future of golf after winning his first PGA Tour title since adding 40 pounds of muscle.
The American showed he is going to be a huge star by out-powering the field to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic by three shots.
The new world No.7 also led the field for driving distance by averaging 350.6 yards off the tee after an extreme weightlifting regime took his ball speed close to 200mph.
DeChambeau, 26, has carded 70 or better in 16 competitive rounds since the restart to be the on-course story, with Tiger Woods still absent and Rory McIlroy struggling.
He is now second favourite for next month’s US PGA behind world No.1 McIlroy.
And like Woods’ arrival in the 1990s, DeChambeau predicted the next generation will follow him to the gym.
“This is a little emotional for me. I did do something a little different, I changed my body, changed my mindset and I was able to accomplish a win while playing a completely different style of golf,” he said.
“I hope it’s an inspiration to some people that if they set their mind to it, they can accomplish it.
“The most important thing is I’ve shown there’s another way and there are going to be people trying to do it that way. Whether it translates on the PGA Tour, I don’t think so.
“It’s going to take a generation for this to evolve. There are going to be a lot more players trying to hit it as far as they can, and straight.”
DeChambeau, who celebrated his sixth PGA Tour win with “another couple of protein shakes”, now weighs 17.1 stone. McIlroy is listed at 11.4st. Kevin Kisner, who finished third, said: “It shows me how much time he has on his hands. He needs kids or something. He’s changed the entire way the game’s played.”
DeChambeau has added brawn to brains. The physics major had earned a reputation as the Nutty Professor for his single-length irons and a single-plane swing.
But his eccentricities can also take him out of bounds. During the third round in Detroit, DeChambeau confronted a cameraman filming another tantrum and claimed he had a right to “privacy” and the images could “damage our brand”.
He said: “People took it the wrong way and I’m sorry they did. I respect everybody. I just want to provide the best entertainment out here.”
Danny Willett and Tyrrell Hatton finished tied fourth to each bank almost £240,000. 1
Bryson DeChambeau 323 yards 322.6 315.1 314.7 313.9 313.8 313.4 312.4 312.4 312.3
ENGLISH rugby boss Bill Sweeney chose the day Premiership clubs finally returned to contact training to announce massive job cuts at Twickenham.
Sweeney revealed plans to cut the Rugby Football Union’s staff by 139 as he braced the organisation for short-term losses of up to £107million.
That amounts to almost a quarter of the 580-strong workforce and the chief executive (above) warned the pain wrought by the Covid-19 crisis would be felt over “four to five years”.
Sweeney said: ”We have already made some significant cost savings. We furloughed 60 per cent of our organisation and implemented a three-month pay reduction, which has been extended for some.
“We introduced pension pauses, refined business planning, and introduced stadium and office running efficiencies to reduce costs.
“Unfortunately, this is not enough to run a sustainable operation and safeguard our future. The impact of Covid-19 will continue to affect us for many years to come.” ■ WORCESTER WARRIORS have vowed to “to go over and above what is expected” in their support of Michael Fatialofa (above), who faces medical bills of £100,000 as he recovers from a serious neck injury.
“We are supporting Michael’s career after rugby,” said a Warriors statement. “Funding the extension of visas for Michael and his wife and providing specialist rehabilitation.”