Bryson DeChambeau produced one of the all-time great comebacks in the Ryder Cup on Sunday, with the American managing to earn half a point from his match with Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Few were giving Keegan Bradley‘s men any chance of winning the Ryder Cup as they went into the final day trailing by seven points. Clearly, a fast start was the absolute minimum if they were going to stop Europe leaving Bethpage Black with the trophy.
The likes of Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler did their part. All three won their matches on the 18th green.
It did appear that Bryson DeChambeau however, was heading for a fourth loss of the week in his match with Matthew Fitzpatrick. The Englishman was 5 up through seven holes.
Smylie Kaufman reacts to Bryson DeChambeau tying his match with Matthew Fitzpatrick at the Ryder Cup
However, DeChambeau managed to win the next two. He then began a run on the 14th hole in which he won three in four to level things up heading down the 18th.
The momentum was certainly with DeChambeau. And when Fitzpatrick could only find the front of the final green with his second shot, it appeared that the door was open for the LIV Golf star.
He was in the rough on the right. But he had less than 90 yards left for his approach. And it seemed that the lie may help him get the ball all the way to the back left pin.
DeChambeau failed to get inside Fitzpatrick’s ball, and the pair ended up halving the match. And speaking on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman suggested that the two-time US Open champion’s playing style may have cost him the chance to put a full point on the board.
“I had a chance to look at that lie from Bryson, it was a heavier lie in the grass. It wasn’t sitting down in some hardpan, there was enough on it to where I felt like he could have done better with that in that moment,” he said.
“The way he hits golf shots I feel like sometimes hurts him in moments. And in a moment like that, I felt like if he would have had a normal length iron, a normal length wedge, he hit this thing to the moon, I would have thought that most players would have been able to bring that thing in low and get it to tumble all the way to that back pin.
“So it was really surprising that he tried to just swing through this heavier grass to hit it up in the air, instead of trying to get steep and get it chase back. He fought his tail off and got the half point, but I felt like he needed to putt before Matt because Matt hit such a poor wedge shot into the green.”
Bryson DeChambeau has plenty of reasons to take a lot of positives from his Ryder Cup return
How DeChambeau would fare at Bethpage was definitely one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the Ryder Cup. He had not played in the event since 2021, and did not have a fantastic record.
DeChambeau was lauded by his teammates in the build-up. Meanwhile, many were backing DeChambeau to drive the first green; it was an opportunity in every session to make a real statement.
But Europe were sensational over the first two days. With that, DeChambeau was only able to win one point from his first four matches.
Along with Justin Thomas, no one seemed to have a better connection with the fans than DeChambeau. And it really did feel like he was going to complete the turnaround on Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler said DeChambeau’s fightback inspired him in his match with Rory McIlroy. And it did seem that his charge was a catalyst for the ultimate comeback seeming entirely possible.
So while he was unable to win the match with Fitzpatrick, DeChambeau can definitely take so many positives from his return to the event.
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