FROM A MUSCLE MAN TO AN IRON MAN

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU revealed he hears the disappointed groans of fans when he hits irons off the tee after plotting his way into contention at the Players Championship.

The US Open champion leads the PGA Tour driving distance stats with an average of 323.5yards. But the muscle-bound Californian (left) struggled with his driver at Sawgrass yesterday and twice hit a 4-iron off the tee on par-5s as he carded a second consecutive 69. And

DeChambeau, who started his second round with a doublebogey six, said: “I wasn’t feeling as good with my golf swing out there today. That was quite unfortunate but I was able to scrap it around.

“I have got to be less sensitive with the driver. It is a bit hit-and-miss.

“I hit driver off the tee perfect one hole and then the next hole it will be pretty far right.

“How do the fans react when I pull an iron out instead of a driver? It’s always ‘Aww’, with an iron. Driver, it’s like: ‘Yeah!’ And then I hit it right”

The world No.6, who rated his driving “C+ to B” yesterday, promised to spend up to two hours on the practice range last night to get ready for the weekend. “I’m a perfectionist, and I’ll continue to be so until the day I stop playing this game,” he said. “That’s just the way I am.”

The American sits on six under par along with compatriots

Brian Harman and Denny McCarthy (below).

World No.221 McCarthy made his first hole-in-one on the PGA Tour with an 8-iron on the 164-yard third hole. On the European Tour, Spain’s Adri

Arnaus has become the third player to pull out of the Qatar Masters because of Covid-19 after experiencing symptoms during the second round in Doha yesterday.

Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise and Matthew Jordan both failed tests earlier in the week.

Denmark’s Jeff Winther leads by two shots after a second successive 67.

Pontypridd’s Jamie Donaldson, the 2014 Ryder Cup match-winner, is in a five-way tie for second spot, along with 32-year-old Englishman Jack Senior.