Bryson DeChambeau cut a lonely figure as the last man standing on the practice field Friday night, his shadow backlit by the spotlights.
Running in the dark, DeChambeau had sneaked into the clubhouse before the sun set in the second round of the PGA Championship, but long after the last fragments of light had gone out, play was suspended and everyone The others went home, the 30-year-old player. -The old man was still working.
It is a spectacle that many golf fans are not accustomed to. Not that of a player metaphorically burning his eyelashes in search of an epiphany, but that of DeChambeau himself.
However, during the first two majors this year, we have seen more controversial characters than in the last two years.
With his money-grabbing move, DeChambeau, now a part-time LIV golfer and part-time YouTuber, has fallen into obscurity. But in Valhalla this week, a resurgent DeChambeau worked his way up the rankings and became relevant again.
Bryson DeChambeau shot a four-under 67 on day three of the PGA Championship
The American enters the final round in the fight, two shots behind Collin Morikawa.
If there was anyone who doubted DeChambeau’s renaissance after 53 holes of the PGA Championship, they only needed to look at the scenes on the 18th hole, where he holed an eagle from the green.
That propelled him to a tied fourth, two strokes behind the leader. He let out a roar as he launched into a fist pump with the fans gathered in front of the sunlit clubhouse, matching his passion.
“It’s exciting,” DeChambeau said of the moment at age 18 after his round. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time. The only other time I felt that was when I shot 58 at the Greenbrier. That was very exciting there. I was quite excited.’
He smiled as he high-fived spectators lining the green and stopped to sign balls. DeChambeau returned and the public, unlike 12 months ago, loved it.
“I’ve worked really hard to get people to help me understand who I am a little better,” he admitted Saturday. YouTube has been a great platform to help with that.
“It just keeps my brain fresh and in entertainment mode, and I realize what the game is about, not just for me and to win money or trophies, but also entertaining.” Obviously we all want to win trophies.
“But being able to entertain the fans is what we all want to do here, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
This DeChambeau 2.0 made its debut at The Masters when he and his 3D printed irons hit his long-awaited and self-prophesied ‘Augusta par 67’ and put him in contention heading into the final round.
The 30-year-old holes out from the 18th green for an eagle to complete its round.
The DeChambeau in Valhalla this week looks like a happier and healthier player
DeChambeau finished the third round tied for fourth place alongside Viktor Holvland (left)
Warming up the crowd with his antics on the green side and lifting signposts out of the ground, he was a constant source of entertainment at Augusta. And the show continued in Valhalla, where he once again finds himself in contention heading into a major championship on Sunday.
DeChambeau’s four-under 67, along with Friday’s six-under 65, have ensured he is in the mix for a second consecutive major. And that is something that can not only comfort you, but also encourage you: encourage you to know that the return is really underway.
The DeChambeau we’re seeing this week is a world away from the one he was two years ago.
When DeChambeau left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in June 2022, he was still following his 3,500-calorie diet of meat, potatoes and protein shakes in an attempt to bulk up and improve his game.
The efforts were successful and the American ranked 17th and had the highest average driving distance in the 2019-20 season with 322.1 yards.
But they were also making him sick. Doctors warned that his regimen was taking years off his life. It was a wake-up call that resulted in an 18-pound weight loss in 24 days.
Even without the added muscle, DeChambeau’s game this week still resembles the exquisite long drives and putting of his only major victory at Winged Foot. DeChambeau has also demonstrated maturity with a newfound respect that hallowed fields like Augusta and Valhalla deserve.
With his constant experimentation, obsessive fixation on numbers, one-length clubs and bold statements, the blank stares at DeChambeau’s antics are often justified, but still, he’s a character golf needs.
It’s like Marmite. However, love him or hate him, he moves the needle. It’s made for TV, delivers the most absurd headlines, and is a prepackaged marketing asset for golf.
According to the PGA Tour, he used to be one of their most popular players. He ranked fifth in the inaugural PIP rankings, behind only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. If he had remained loyal, he probably would have gone on to pocket a hefty Tour popularity contest bonus without having to lift a finger.
DeChambeau’s four-under 67 along with Friday’s six-under 65 ensure he’s in the mix.
DeChambeau could try to repeat Brooks Koepka’s feat from last year for LIV Golf
But instead he took the LIV money and fled, disappearing from public consciousness. His former high-profile appeal is no doubt the reason LIV Golf wanted him. But while DeChambeau received a $100 million payday, he and his Mad Scientist character were locked behind a paywall.
He briefly came out from behind the paywall at the 2023 PGA Championship, where he finished tied for fourth, while fellow LIV maverick Brooks Koepka captured his fifth major.
Last year, DeChambeau was booed at Oak Hill as a LIV defector. This year, it’s been greeted with nothing but cheers (the occasional taunt of “mind the ropes, Bryson” an exception), which is a sign of how much has changed not only in the game’s political warfare, but also in DeChambeau himself. .
12 months after the frosty reception in New York, DeChambeau was optimistic about LIV Golf’s chances of repeating Koepka’s feat.
“I think we, the LIV golfers, are prepared as always to play in major championships,” he said during a press conference in Singapore earlier this month. ‘(This) allows us the opportunity to have a little more time from time to time to prepare for those specialties.
“But I think we all have the power to play well and win a major championship. There are a lot of great champions here who know how to do it, so it’s just a matter of time.”
That moment could now be for DeChambeau as he heads into the final round of the US PGA. Bryson is back. And golf should be a joy.