‘Confident’ Bryson DeChambeau ready for US Open ‘challenge’ after bombastic PGA Championship
PINEHURST, N.C. — Bryson DeChambeau may find himself in a quandary during the U.S. Open this week at Pinehurst No. 2.
DeChambeau thrives on entertaining the golf fans who follow him, which encompasses many. He sees himself as much entertainer as golfer.
That means bombing away huge drives and wearing his emotions on his sleeve.
DeChambeau’s runner-up finish in the PGA Championship last month at Valhalla was electric.
He hit huge tee shots, made a number of massive putts, delivered some memorable celebrations and lost by one shot to Xander Schauffele.
The problem with doing that at a U.S. Open is it can lead to a quick route to a missed cut considering U.S. Opens require large doses of discipline and patience.
DeChambeau, in advance of Thursday’s opening round, repeated the phrase “boring golf’’ several times, as if trying to talk himself into a conservative approach around tricky No. 2.
“I’m looking forward to a great challenge this week, and it’s a lot of boring golf, I can tell you,’’ he said. “It’s definitely different than Valhalla, but I’ll try to do my best to show the crowd some fun drives and some hopefully long-made putts.
“I played spectacular that week,’’ DeChambeau said, referring to the PGA. “What I took out of Valhalla was the confidence that I can do it again. Just knowing that I can get the job done, especially shooting 64 on Sunday … I gave it all I had. I let it all out there. I feel really confident with my game in under-pressure situations, which is great.
“Valhalla has definitely given me a lot of confidence. Now it’s just time to go execute this week and get some good breaks, hopefully. And if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.’’
DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open winner at Winged Foot, said his game “is in a pretty good spot,’’ adding, “I’m excited for the week and got some good mojo going forward. Looking forward to a tough test of golf out here. Pinehurst is no joke.
“This is a ball striker’s paradise. You have to hit it in the middle of the greens. This is a Boo Weekley quote, but the center of the green never moves, so I’ll try to focus on that this week.’’
He said “it stinks hitting a 6-iron off the tee compared to a driver, but sometimes you’ve got to do it and you’ve got to make the right decision for shooting the lowest score out here.’’
“There’s numerous holes like No. 3 [a short par-4], I’d love to go for that green every single day, and I may go for it,’’ he said. “I don’t know, you never know with me. Certainly, on the tee box if it’s downwind, I’ll give it a go probably. [Or] No. 3, just hit a 6-iron out there, or 7. Hitting an iron out there and playing some very strategic golf is certainly something you have to do on this golf course to compete and win.’’
Welcome to DeChambeau’s yin and yang.
“I feel like I’m a little more strategic more often than not,’’ he said. “I’m not such a risk taker. I do take risks. I love taking risks. But there are times for it. I feel like as time has gone on, I realize when that time is and when essentially not to go for it, when it doesn’t make any sense.
“[I’m] definitely not comfortable just bombing driver everywhere out here. You can get in some big trouble. You’ve got to take what the course provides you.’’
