Bryson DeChambeau has given himself an amazing chance of teeing it up over the weekend at The Open Championship after producing a masterful second round at Royal Portrush on Thursday.
After the first round in Northern Ireland, it appeared that Bryson DeChambeau was on course to miss back to back major cuts for the first time since 2017.
The LIV Golf star posted a seven over par 78 on Thursday at Royal Portrush. With that, it was difficult not to feel that DeChambeau was still yet to find a way to play in The Open Championship.
But his doubters were silenced emphatically on Friday.
Bryson DeChambeau shares what he told himself after his first round at The Open Championship
DeChambeau made seven birdies and just one bogey to post a 65. It left him at one over par and in with a brilliant chance of making the cut.
It seems that DeChambeau was just as pessimistic about his chances of bouncing back as many golf fans. Following his second round, he was asked what he told himself once he got away from the course after his nightmare start.
“I want to go home. But I woke up this morning and I said, you know what, I can’t give up,” he said. “My dad always told me never to give up, just got to keep going, and that’s what I did today. I was proud of the way I fought back, really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments, and to hold myself together and not get pissed and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to, like I was very proud of myself.”
Bryson DeChambeau asked what changed for his second round at Royal Portrush
It was remarkable how different DeChambeau fared in his second round. He seemed to make so many needless mistakes on Thursday; never quite accepting when to take his medicine.
But it turns out that the Crushers captain did not feel that he did a lot of things particularly differently in his second round on Friday.
“I’ve played the same as I did yesterday. That’s links golf for you. I executed pretty much the same shots as I did yesterday. I didn’t feel like I played any different. Today they just kind of went more my way. My wedges were just a fraction better and that was really it. Made a couple more putts. Just really felt like I was rolling it well today. There wasn’t much different. That’s why links golf is the way links golf is,” he said.
DeChambeau is not the first world-class golfer to struggle to adapt their game to the demands of links golf. Famously, it seemed that Phil Mickelson never quite had the tools required to lift the Claret Jug.
However, Mickelson did gradually learn and ended up winning the event in 2013. And DeChambeau was asked about what it would mean to win one day given that Mickelson called his Open victory the proudest moment of his career.
“Yeah, look, in order to be a complete golfer you’ve got to win over here. That’s something I’ve struggled to do. I’ve played well at times when it’s dry and greens are more consistent in their bounce and the greens are a little bit better. But when it gets as chaotic as this, with the wind going every which way, flipping on 18 completely, when you’re preparing all day for that left-to-right wind off 18, you have to be a complete golfer that pivots on demand,” he added.
“I think he’s right; it’s the most proud moment of his career, which is awesome. For me, if I was to — if it was ever to happen in my career, it probably would be the proudest as well.”
Winning this week is still going to take a monumental effort from DeChambeau. But crucially, he has given himself a chance he seemed to have no hope of securing after his first round.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
