TEAM EUROPE ARE GAME FOR A LAUGH
DECHAMBEAU SAYS HE IS HITTING HARDER THAN EVER — AND BELIEVES IT WILL GIVE HIM A RYDER CUP EDGE
There were few signs of nerves on display as Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter warmed up for the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits yesterday
Bryson DeChambeau insists he has had ‘great conversations’ with Brooks Koepka over the past few weeks and the pair will announce something ‘fun’ together in the near future.
Do not hold your breath on that meaning a pairing for Friday afternoon in the 43rd ryder Cup.
now that would be fun. It is safe to assume, though, the conversations have not been that great.
The consensus among the American media is that the pair will seek to draw a line under their feud with one of those money matches involving a couple of top sports people as their partners, with all the money going to ‘charidee’.
oh, great. Who’s idea of fun is that?
A far better idea would be to practise in the same group today, thereby making Koepka’s press interview tomorrow all about the matches ahead rather than their juvenile falling-out. But that would involve subjugating two gigantic egos for the sake of the team. so we will not hold our breath for that one either.
The shame about all this, of course, is that it takes away from perhaps the most fascinating golfer of the past decade.
DeChambeau has had more than his share of problems with American crowds in recent weeks owing to the Koepka fallout, but he has come up with a brilliant plan to get them all back on side this week.
He surely will not play in Friday’s opening foursomes but how about stepping up in the fourballs and driving the par four, 348-yard first hole? That would create one or two cheers among the punters assembled in the horseshoe grandstand around the first tee. It would certainly cause anyone tempted to shout ‘Brooksie’ in his direction to think twice.
A ball speed of 200mph is something of a mythical figure in golf, akin, perhaps, to achieving a four-minute mile for a generation of athletes from long ago.
The Mad scientist, meanwhile, is confident he is ready to move his experiments from the laboratory and accomplish the feat for the first time in competition at this ryder Cup.
‘It’s a little colder here but if I can achieve it this week, that would be sweet,’ said the 28-yearold. ‘My ball speed is definitely faster than it was in the middle of the season, so the goal here is more than 200mph with a 45-inch shaft driver. If I can achieve that, there are going to be numerous holes where it is going to give me an enormous advantage, starting with the first and the second.
‘At the par-five fifth, I’ll be taking dead aim at the flag if the wind is favourable, which will be kind of cool. I did it in practice recently and I had a flick with a wedge for my second shot while other guys were hitting their drives to the left and having to hit a hybrid or three wood.
‘I won’t use it on every hole but that’s the kind of advantage this course can give me if I have a good week with the driver. There’s the sixth hole, the tenth, you name them.’
DeChambeau went out in practice yesterday with scottie scheffler, who is his designated playing partner on Friday and seems content playing the role of the mild-mannered normal golfer alongside the one with a metaphorical cape.
scheffler is the self-confessed ‘only real rookie’ in the American team, although there are six in practice. What he means is that he has still to win on tour while there are others such as Collin Morikawa, Xander schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who have two majors, an olympic gold medal and a FedEx Cup to their names respectively.
sticking DeChambeau with a level-headed, easy-going and likeable soul like scheffler sounds like another shrewd plan concocted by the impressive American captain steve stricker. With a world ranking of 21, scheffler is the lowest-ranked
player in this American team and the least known, but he has got plenty of game.
On playing with Bryson, the 25-year-old Texan sounded sincere enough.
‘I’ve known him since I was at college and, like everyone else it seems, I have an opinion of him,’ said scheffler. ‘I think he’s a fantastic guy. He’s only been kind and gracious to me over the years and he’s got a big heart. That’s good enough for me.’
As well as with Koepka, DeChambeau has been conducting an ongoing feud with the media. This was the first time he had spoken to the press since an event in Memphis at the beginning of August, where he deservedly came in for criticism after spouting some dangerous anti-vax nonsense.
He made it clear he was only ending his silence because he was speaking as part of a team rather than as an individual. He really needs to do something about that ego, doesn’t he?
As for what lies ahead, DeChambeau has plenty of motivation to help his team on this occasion, after Paris last time where he was pointless from three matches, including an unexpected singles defeat by Alex noren. The next ryder Cup point he earns will be his first.
A big week, therefore, for Bryson. Three or four points out of five and he could be an American hero. Another flop in another Us loss, though, and there will be no escaping the ‘Brooksie’ ridicule, no matter how many charity matches he plays.
...BUT SURELY EVEN HE WON’T TRY TO DO IT LEFT-HANDED!