Distance-obsessed, rules-arguing, Kyle Berkshire-admiring, driver-swapping, golf ball crushing, U.S. Open-winning Bryson DeChambeau dailed it back Thursday at Bay Hill and the result on day one at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was a stress-free 67 that left him just a shot back of first round co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Corey Connors.
No, DeChambeau didn’t try to bash his tee shot 343 yards in the air at the par-five sixth in attempt to carry the entire lake there at Bay Hill. No, the Tour’s Mad Scientist made birdie the old fashioned way, drive it just past 300 yards, hit the green in two and two-putt for easy birdie. Bryson did what he was supposed to do on three of the four par fives, make easy birdies. His only mistake came at the 16th when he tried to hit his drive too hard and found himself too far right and caught up in a bunker that led to a second shot in a greenside bunker where he failed to get up-and-down and made par on a hole where he might hit all of nine-iron for his second shot.
Still, DeChambeau is not ruling out taking a rip at that sixth green.
“If it’s more downwind I’ll be able to do it tomorrow (Friday), hopefully, or sometime during the weekend.”
DeChambeau explained that he would need at least a 10-mph wind to finally pull the trigger, and that breeze would need to be coming from the northeast. He’ll get both starting Friday, though it appears he may still aim 30 yards right of the putting surface, where the carry is about 10 yards less, and give himself just a pitch shot into the hole.
Still, his “conservative” play and the 67 that resulted Thursday, has him right there a notch from the top.
Jordan Spieth Gets Good Start Then Stalls:
Jordan Spieth started on the back nine Thursday and by time he reached the 18th hole, his ninth of the day, he was three-under for his round. He hit a perfect drive and with just 141 yards to the easy front left pin position, his second came up just short, leaving him only 28 feet to the hole. It was then that his chip was a bit strong, leaving him six-feet for par. He missed the putt and what looked like a good round came to a grinding halt.
Over the final nine, the front nine at Bay Hill, all Spieth could manage was an even par 36 for an opening two-under par 70.
Rickie Fowler — More Fodder For Faldo:
Six-time major champion Nick Faldo threw Rickie Fowler under the old Twitter bus this week with this little gem as Rickie hasn’t qualified for The Masters next month:
“Good news is if he misses the Masters he can shoot another six commercials that week.”
Ouch! Faldo’s tweet was painful to Fowler and on Thursday at Bay Hill, Rickie didn’t look like a guy trying to earn his way into The Masters. Once again he struggled with his ball-striking and his putter — not a good combination and the result was a four-over par 76.
More fodder for Faldo? You bet.
Tyrrell Hatton Won’t Repeat This Week:
Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton will not win the Arnold Palmer Invitational again. Not after his opening round of 77 on Thursday.
Hatton’s round was ugly — six bogeys and just a single birdie at the un-difficult par five sixth. It left him tied for 107th and in danger of not even sticking around for the weekend.
