Let’s see if appliance of science works for Bryson
AS the first full-field events of 2017 take place in South Africa and Hawaii, I have picked out a handful of players to watch over the coming months.
Tyrrell Hatton made a big breakthrough in 2016 with his maiden win in the Dunhill Links at St Andrews on his way to finishing fourth in the Race to Dubai.
Still only 25, he has improved with each year on Tour, and the way he sealed his victory around the Old Course was so impressive.
He starts the year in 24th place in the World Rankings. So it will be the first time he has been in all the Majors and WGC events.
But he showed that he could play in elite company with top-10s at both The Open and the US PGA last summer.
Tyrrell has a very good temperament and I would expect him to step up again. He’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t get another win this season.
He’s a Ryder Cup player of the future and will want to earn his PGA Tour card this year.
It’s funny to talk about a Ryder Cup player having a breakthrough year. But that is what I expect from Francesco Molinari.
When I watched him hole a sixfoot putt to win the Italian Open last September, it felt like a turning point in his career.
Francesco has always been known for having great technique and machine-like accuracy.
But last year he made a huge improvement in his putting. That was reflected in that one stroke to win his home Open.
His weakness on the greens had held him back from really competing at the top – even though he has played in two Ryder Cups.
With more confidence in his short stick, he should be confident of doing well.
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen is a winner. He has four European Tour victories to date and one in each of the last three years.
Having won the Turkish Open in November and then teaming up with Soren Kjeldsen to win the World Cup, he should be brimming with confidence.
Olesen is currently ranked 63rd so needs a good start to secure his place at The Masters. His motivation will be high and he’ll be one to watch out for during the Desert Swing.
On the PGA Tour, I will be fascinated to see how Bryson DeChambeau gets on. The former US Amateur Champion certainly stands out from the crowd.
He dresses like the late Payne Stewart and has a very interesting technique.
Bryson was a physics graduate at college and he is trying to apply those skills to golf.
All his irons are the same length as his six-iron. This is to ensure he has consistency in his swing. On the green he uses the side-saddle method for putting.
It draws attention to him. But I’m convinced he does it because he believes in his physics logic rather than just using it as a gimmick.
If Bryson wins a tournament or two, don’t be surprised to see amateurs putting side-saddle and wanting their iron shafts all the same length!