Bryson’s bombs set to spark a revolution
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU’S staggering US Open victory has been hailed as a gamechanging moment for golf, potentially changing forever how the game is played and possibly the rules that govern it.
The American fired a closing 67 to finish six under par at Winged Foot, a record winning score by two shots at a revered venue where only two players – Fuzzy Zoeller and Greg Norman in 1984 – had finished in red figures in five previous US Opens.
The 27-year-old was the only player to break par on a demanding final day, the only one not to shoot over par in any round and finished six shots clear of compatriot and 54-hole leader Matthew Wolff.
But DeChambeau hit just 23 out of 56 fairways in regulation during the week, the fewest by four of any US Open champion since 1981, a statistic which had four-time major winner Rory McIlroy shaking his head in disbelief. ‘No chance,’ he said when asked after his own closing 75 if he thought those figures would be enough to succeed at a US Open. ‘That’s the complete opposite of what you think a US Open champion does.’
Former Ryder Cup player turned commentator Ken Brown likened the bulked-up DeChambeau’s overpowering of Winged Foot to the groundbreaking high-jump technique created by Dick Fosbury. Although clearly not trying to miss fairways on purpose, DeChambeau had come to the conclu
that’s the complete opposite of what a us open champion does
sion that the lack of control from being in the rough could be negated by being closer to the green, prompting his ‘bomb and gouge’ approach.
‘Okay, wait until he gets to a proper golf course, he’ll have to rein it back in,’ was McIlroy’s view and he was far from alone.
DeChambeau believes the R&A and USGA will be forced to take steps to try and rein in golf equipment, but said: ‘It’s tough to rein in athleticism. We’re always going to be trying to get fitter, stronger, more athletic. Tiger [Woods] inspired this whole generation to do this, and we’re going to keep going after it. I don’t think it’s going to stop.’
Asked what he thought the USGA’s reaction would be, DeChambeau added: ‘I’m sure something might happen. But I don’t know what it will be. I just know that length is always going to be an advantage.’