Sounds like The Mad Scientist, aka Bryson DeChambeau, is going to give it a go at the 2022 PGA Championship.
DeChambeau drove from his home in from Dallas to Tulsa on Monday and was on site at Southern Hills late Monday afternoon, obviously with the intention of teeing it up Thursday in the season’s second major.
DeChambeau is coming off surgery on his left hand to repair the hamet bone. The recovery time was estimated to be six to eight weeks but it’s been five weeks and Bryson was filmed at home smashing drivers, full-bore. One thing DeChambeau won’t be able to do is beat a large amount of practice balls — he’s on a pitch county thanks to that still-tender left hand. He also has had a small protective device fashioned to cushion the area where surgeons made the incision.
“All is going well,” DeChambeau said last week. “Everybody’s going to say I’m coming back too early, but I’m being very careful.”
DeChambeau was in a decision process. It’s not a sure thing that he’ll tee it up on Thursday, he has all the way up until his tee time to decide. He hasn’t played competitively since missing the cut at The Masters.
Bryson played nine holes on Tuesday with a protective compression sleeve on his left hand that came up above his wrist. He said things went well but will play another nine on Wednesday. “I’ll see how I feel Thursday morning. If there’s pain, then I’ll give someone else a chance to play,” DeChambeau said, inferring that he’s basically not making the call until Thursday. His Thursday tee time is early, 8:49 a.m. EDT, 7:59 CT. He’s in a group with Tyrrell Hatton and Max Homa.
Joe LaCava: Tiger Is Definitely Stronger:
Tiger Woods’ faithful bagman — Joe LaCava — says his boss is looking good coming into the PGA Championship.
“Hundred percent I see him stronger,” said LaCava. LaCava also added the biggest improvement in Woods’ recovery since the Masters — “I just think the endurance is there now.”
Rickie Fowler Flirting With the LIV Series:
Rory McIlroy is one of the best interviews in golf and he was, of course, peppered with questions at his pre-PGA presser on Monday.
One big statement came from Rory in regards to this upstart LIV Series: “Everyone just needs to chill,” was how Rory put it and he couldn’t have said it better.
But eyebrows were raised when one of the Tour’s most popular players — Rickie Fowler — sounded like he hasn’t slammed the door on the LIV Series the way Rory has.
Rickie met with the media Monday and dropped this bomb:
“To be straightforward with you guys, I haven’t necessarily made a decision one way or the other,” Fowler said. “I’ve mentioned in the past, do I currently think that the PGA Tour is the best place to play? I do. Do I think it can be better? Yes.
“So I think it’s an interesting position. Obviously there’s the LIV and Premier, as well. These tours or leagues or whatever, they wouldn’t really be coming up if they didn’t see that there was more opportunity out there … I think competition ultimately makes people better, whether it’s business, sport. So it’s interesting, that’s for sure.”
Budget-Busting Beer Prices At PGA Championship:
If you had any doubts that the PGA Of America can be a big, greedy, pig, all you need do is gander a look at the concession prices this week at Southern Hills.
A regular beer runs $15. If you want a Michelob Ultra (thanks Brooks Koepka) it will cost you $18. A Stella Artois? Try $19. Wine? $13. Mixed drink cocktails? Try $19 and up.
Tour star Justin Thomas was aghast when he learned about the cost: “What, does it cure cancer?” J.T. quipped. Everyone on site might be asking the same question.
Tiger Playing With Rory, Jordy:
Some super group pairings:
Thursday, 9:10 — 10th Tee: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth.
Thursday 2:14 — 10th Tee: Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas
Thursday 2:36 — 10th Tee: Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa
Click here for all groups and tee times:
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
I didn’t hear Rory say “chill” but he did say he was presumptuous about LIv being dead in the water.
Rickie is exactly what I’ve been talking about T. Many players are still strongly considering their options. Of course now you and the golf channel propaganda machine is going to ridicule Fowlers recent ranking or status or whatever.
And Maybe Have Lerner fire chamblee a basic question then his answer somehow is the end of the conversation. It’s not. Everything brandel says reeks of bias. Everything he says continues to be disputable. This conversations do not just end with an overly moral take from
chamblee, or a threat of lost sponsorships or whatever. It’s not that simple. Players who play with LIv will not forever be bad guys no sponsors will ever work with, that no fans will ever cheer for. The pga tour and it’s pundits wish it was that simple. But it’s not.
Don’t ask me, ask the players like Rick, who btw is also clearly defending Phil in his answer; having Leftys back; while the talking heads try to paint a picture of no one having Phils back. They do. And there is really no one better to have your back then Rick. But they are scared of the powers that be so they have to be cautious. Rickie really manned up for his good friend.
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Tiger is clearly not 100 percent still but the steady improvements are such a relief. No one will ever be the same but Tiger can play and is on his way to being able to compete for dubs. Golf is a bit of a mess but Thank goodness for that at least.
baxter cepeda
Bryson, according to oberholser who has had this surgery, is nuts coming back so soon. I believe him. For a scientist, he sure doesn’t seem to apply science very well. I wish him luck but this seems like playing is a sponsor requirement he doesn’t want to miss. So he is forcing it. That’s what it looks like.