OUTMUSCLED
Bulked up Bryson says this ain’t easy... ask Rory
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU warned his mission to hit longer is not to be taken lightly after Rory McIlroy revealed he has lost his swing trying to chase the US Open champion.
A 5ft 9in McIlroy led the PGA Tour driving stats in 2017 and 2018 while being in the top four in each of the last five years.
But DeChambeau returned from lockdown last year ripped with increased swing speed to leave the four-time Major winner miles behind.
McIlroy tried to copy the blueprint after the American’s Winged Foot wonder show last September by pushing his swing to the limit.
And, after missing the cut at The Players Championship less than a month before the Masters, he claimed he had not yet recovered.
Asked about McIlroy’s comments, DeChambeau said: “I appreciate it, first off.
“I wasn’t trying to influence anybody. I was just trying to play my own game and hit it as far as I possibly could. I knew there was going to be an effect. I didn’t know what it would be or who would be affected by it but golf is a weird game.
“This journey I’m on is not taken lightly. I’ve tried to figure out a bunch of different variables you have to have in order to hit it straight and really far. I knew there would be some people who would try similar, some people who it would potentially not work for and some people it might help. But I do appreciate Rory’s comments.”
After rounds of 79 and 75 at Sawgrass, McIlroy conceded his “swing issues” dated back to last October.
And he added: “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t anything to do with what Bryson did at the US Open. A lot of people were like ‘Whoa! If this is the way they’re going to set golf courses up, it helps’.”
The Scots left at Sawgrass endured a painful finale as a 76 left Russell Knox on fourover 292 while Martin Laird (73) was one further back.
Meanwhile, world No.1 Dustin Johnson says he’ll not play in this year’s Olympics.