Slimmed-down DeChambeau ready for Workday course play
BRADENTON, Fla. – Bryson DeChambeau is looking rather slim these days.
No, really, he is.
Well, compared to what he looked like at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January. Back then he was the Incredible Bulk, going about 250 pounds. But at this week’s World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession, DeChambeau is tipping the scales at 230.
There’s nothing wrong with him, mind you. It’s just the big basher was carrying a bit too much weight around the PGA Tour.
“Not eating as much, that’s it,” the reigning U.S. Open champion and seven-time PGA Tour winner said with a smile when asked how he lost the pounds.
You’ll remember that when he started bulking up in the fall of 2019 in search of swing speed, ball speed and distance, he eventually reached a calorie intake per day in the range of 6,000-7,000. He said he just “had at it” at the dinner table and was inhaling five to six meals a day and drinking about six to eight protein shakes per day.
“I’ll still do two, three shakes a day, but then I just don’t eat as much,” DeChambeau said. “A little more protein. The portions are smaller, that’s all.
“I have the same strength. I haven’t tried to push strength levels because it makes me really fatigued and tired. I’ll do it in the offseason. That’s why at Sentry I was a lot bigger, I looked bigger. I’m just going to keep trying to gain muscle, size and strength and pushing the same tolerance levels throughout the week. I won’t try to stress anything because I’ve got to play golf.”
This week he’s playing on the course where he won the NCAA individual title in 2015. The memories remain vivid, the vibes still fresh. By the way, back then he weighed 195 and could generate ball speed of 170 mph. Now he can cruise and hit 190-195 mph on Trackman.
In winning the NCAA individual title, DeChambeau birdied the 71st hole and parred the final hole with a two-putt from 60 feet. The victory gave him the confidence he was searching for to make a run at the PGA Tour.
“That was the moment that I knew I could play golf under pressure,” DeChambeau said of his final-round heroics. “I didn’t even know if I was going to be playing golf for the rest of my life before the NCAAs. I had no idea. I was really good and I would have tried to play on Tour, but a lot of things got expedited when I won the NCAAs and the U.S. Amateur.
“I would not have expected this type of path, and albeit I’m glad for a lot of the things and very blessed for a lot of the things that have happened to me, I didn’t know that there would be a lot of struggles along the way as well. I have to appreciate those tough moments because last week, very, very difficult moment for me. I was swinging really well and the ball just wasn’t doing what it should have done. I felt like I held myself together really well.”
Last week he missed the cut in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club north of Los Angeles. DeChambeau said he immediately put the missed cut behind him and didn’t waste any time getting to work for Workday.
“It’s one of those things that I’m swinging so fast now that we just don’t know what’s going to happen yet,” DeChambeau said.
But he’s gathering information as he works with World Long Drive champion Kyle Berkshire.
“The physics aren’t understood at that speed yet. I mean, his mis-hits when he barely mis-hits it, talking about variable gear effect, hit it in the same place on the toe and the ball can have two completely reactions,” DeChambeau said. “We don’t know why that is yet and that’s sort of the stuff I’m working on to try to figure out.
“Now, at the lower speeds I was using a year ago and even there were times that I just didn’t drive it that well. The U.S. Open I didn’t drive it well, so this has been going on for a long time and I knew we were going to come to this point at some point in time, but once we figure it out, it’s going to be very, very nice.
“So if I can keep it in play and gain some of the confidence I had at the U.S. Open last year, I’ll be fine. I’m putting really well.”
He knows he has to keep it in play this week at The Concession.
“If you’re not hitting it well and straight off the tee, it’s a concussion for a reason,” he said, referring to the nickname some have given the course. “But I like the place and we’ll be ready come Thursday.”