Breaking news: Bryson DeChambeau has withdraw from this week’s RBC Heritage at Sea Pines. He was perhaps the pre-tournament favorite at this traditional week-after-The Masters event in Hilton Head Island.
But after finishing in a tie for 46th at Augusta National and rounds of 76-67-75-75, Bryson is probably a bit exasperated over the fact that Augusta National kicked his distance strategy back in his face.
In the days leading up to last Thursday’s start, Bryson was getting a lot of pre-tournament hype of he blasted drive-after-drive-after-drive on the Augusta National practice grounds.
He also made, what was probably a huge mistake, of putting a driver into play that he had not used in a competitive round. Once again, rules arguing, distance-obsessed, U.S. Open-winning, Kyle Berskshire-admiring, driver-switching, greens-book-missing DeChambeau couldn’t crack the Augusta National “code.”
Might surprise you to learn that with 16 cracks at par fives last week, all easily reachable by The Mad Scientist, he only played him in four-under par for the week, yes, FOUR-UNDER-PAR! He was even on them in the first round, three-under on day two when it played the easiest, two-under on Saturday and one-over on Sunday.
He was simply horrible on two of the key par threes at Augusta National — the long fourth hole and the very, very short but treacherous 12th. He went double-bogey, par, double-bogey, par on the fourth and bogey, par, double-bogey, bogey at the 12th for the four rounds. He played the fourth in four-over par and the 12th in four-over par. Not your basic formula for success at The Masters.
With no greens-reading books allowed at The Masters, that puts DeChambeau on the defensive. The downhill lies also confounded him — he couldn’t come up with correct calculations and was often long on his approach shots. He was even long on the two par threes and that was off level tee box areas. His distance control with his irons simply stunk.
Fact is Augusta National is a challenge, a huge challenge. It takes experience and a lot of feel for the course.
So it’s back to the drawing board for DeChambeau and with the next major, the PGA Championship at the punishing Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, he may want to find a way to avoid those crooked drives.
Brooks Kopeka’s Injured Knee Not Ready For Augusta National:
Perhaps Brooks Koepka should have re-thought his appearance at The Masters.
Augusta National is a tough walk on two healthy legs, much less one with a recent knee surgery.
Koepka arrived at Augusta National the Sunday before and brashly declared: “If I thought I was gonna finish second I would have stayed home.”
Wonder what Koepka would have said if he thought he’d miss the cut? He did, shooting 74-75. He’s unable to bend that right knee enough to read a putt and over 36 holes, he managed to make just four birdies.
Most of the big names will be taking the next two weeks off from the PGA Tour schedule and will show up to tune up for the PGA Championship at the Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow, two weeks before the PGA.
Ollie Makes The Cut, Finishes T50:
Give 55-year-old Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters champion, credit for making the 36-hole cut. He shot 75-71, two-over to make it to the weekend. But alas, Ollie shot 75-75 over the weekend and finished in a tie for 50th.
Phil Mickelson Gets Respectable T21:
Give credit to Phil Mickelson. He’s been struggling with his game and was grinding to make the 36-hole cut. He made it on the number (three-over) with rounds of 75-72. But Phil had a nice weekend, shooting 69-72 to finish in a tie for 21st at even par for the tournament.
Masters Disappointments: Worst From The Top 10:
There were some really bad performances from the world’s top 10 players and defending champion Dustin Johnson was one of them.
The world’s No. 1 looked like he was disinterested and simply going through the motions on Friday. D.J. made sloppy bogeys at 15, 17 and 18 to miss the cut by just two shots. The 15th was particularly confounding — all he had in for his second was a seven-iron and he left it short and it rolled back into the drink.
Justin Thomas put himself in contention after a 67 on Friday but was simply miserable on the weekend with rounds of 75-73. J.T. was in great form coming in but fell on his face and finished at even par, tied for 21st with Phil Mickelson, among others.
Collin Morikawa tied for 18th and was done in by his 75 on Saturday. He was two-under and in the hunt through 36.
Bryson DeChambeau shot 76-67-75-75, tied for 46th and left without saying anything.
Tyrrell Hatton tied for 18th, Webb Simpson tied for 12th.
Patrick Cantlay was a total bust after opening with 79. He was nine-over after a Friday 73.
4 Comments
baxter cepeda
Many busts.
bryson is smart to not go to Hilton Head; it would have eaten him alive with his game now.
It’s weird but I still remember Bryson’s first Masters as an Am like it was yesterday; similar to Kuch way back in the day.
Imo kuchars more aggressive game back then was better suited for the Masters than his steady Eddie strategy of the past decade; which is why that is still the most memorable performance ever from Kuch.
Bryson also had an amazing game, strategy and feel for the course his first Masters as an am.
It’s fascinating Kuchars conservative play helps him most weeks but not at Augusta and Bryson’s aggressive play helps him most weeks but not at Augusta.
Kuchar can’t go back at this point.
We know bryson still knows how to dial it back from other events but he is clearly lost trying to overanalyze and overpower Augusta National.
Trying to wedge with 6 iron shafts doesn’t help bryson at Augusta.
Also fittingly trying to putt with the kuchar method; aka the cheese stick; aka the arm lock— which clearly helps in an unfair way day to day—also limits that special genius required on the Nationals greens.
Zalatoris benefited big time from the kuchar method but i saw some Augusta pressure shorties make his stroke look terrible at times.
Also having o my one shot, one way of playing, eventually caught up with zalatoris and Xander.
Meanwhile Hideki could have easily gone to the cheese stick or turned to analytics but instead of big and cheesy changes; hideki improved his weaknesses and won a Masters.
Tom Edrington
Hideki did make one major change and that was eliminating that pause at the top of his swing, not easy when you’ve done that for so long……Hideki’s win good for golf’s world-wide profile!
baxter cepeda
Hideki eliminating the pause confirms things some golf science people say; mainly that taking so long can cause problems.
But it’s the same swing from hideki.
Hideki made serious putting adjustments. We saw his teacher working with him on simple but effective putting drills; two tees in front of the ball.
Breeds show addressed hideki improved Slice putts and showed some more drills hideki may have used.
These aren’t changes as much as they are improvements. That makes it easier.
Tom Edrington
Hideki has always had a lot of game, was once No. 2 in the world, working with him is like tuning up a Rolls Royce.