How Bryson DeChambeau reacted after Matt Fitzpatrick said what he was doing was ‘daft’ and ‘taking the skill’ out of golf in 2020

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Bryson DeChambeau’s pursuit of distance in 2020 saw the American push his body and swing to the absolute limit.

DeChambeau won the 2020 US Open in a way many thought was impossible. The American opted to use distance and power to take down Winged Foot, one of the USA’s toughest courses.

After the American’s victory, Rory McIlroy admitted he couldn’t understand how DeChambeau won whilst playing in such a way.

What’s more, DeChambeau bulked up in order to increase his yardage off the tee. The now LIV Golf star has since admitted his weight gain was a mistake.

Whilst at his biggest and fastest, DeChambeau was looking to take golf in a completely new direction, and some criticised the American’s innovation.

Matt Fitzpatrick, competing at the 2020 BMW PGA Championship, claimed DeChambeau’s US Open win made “a bit of a mockery” of the sport.

“He’s just taking the skill out of it, in my opinion. I’m sure lots will disagree. It’s just daft,” Fitzpatrick added.

Bryson DeChambeau’s reaction to Matt Fitzpatrick’s comments

Unsurprisingly, DeChambeau managed to turn a positive spin on Fitzpatrick’s remarks.

“I appreciate that comment,” said the 27-year-old US Open champion.

“A year ago, I wasn’t hitting it anywhere near as far as I am today. It took a lot of work, a lot of hours to work through the night to figure out a lot of this stuff.”

Since his move to LIV, DeChambeau has still averaged over 320 yards with his driver and is the longest hitter in the PIF-backed league.

• READ MORE: What ‘upset’ Jordan Spieth whilst he was playing with Bryson DeChambeau at the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Distance is becoming ever-important in the modern game

DeChambeau’s pursuit of distance in 2020 has aged pretty well, with 300 yards plus now being the norm on the PGA Tour.

In fact, some of the Tour’s best players have benefitted from adding yardage off the tee.

Xander Schauffele, for example, worked on his swing speed before the 2024 season and ended up winning two major championships: The PGA Championship and the Open Championship.

What’s more, before the 2025 PGA Tour season began, Will Zalatoris revealed he’s been looking to bulk up, and Justin Thomas has added speed with his driver.

At the time, DeChambeau came under fire, but it’s becoming increasingly clear the 2020 US Open champ was the trailblazer for broader change on the PGA Tour.