Is Bryson DeChambeau becoming this era's Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods once forced his competitors and golf courses to adjust to him, and Bryson DeChambeau is going down a similar path
When Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters by 12 shots as a 21-year old, he changed the game of golf in multiple ways. Strictly on the course, his competitors had to adjust their games and Augusta National did some “Tiger-Proofing.”
Bryson DeChambeau was won eight PGA Tour events, pending Sunday’s result at The Players Championship, including the U.S. Open last year and the Arnold Palmer Invitational just last week. He’s become the unashamed, unconventional longest hitter on tour, thus altering how his competitors play.
Rory McIlroy acknowledged it after posting rounds of 79 and 75 to miss the cut at The Players Championship.
“What are you most frustrated with?”
The question hung in the air for 10, 15, 20 seconds.
Rory McIlroy stood behind the microphone, gently tossing a ball back and forth.
“Um ...,” he started, seemingly weighing how deep he wanted to dive, before he finally took the plunge:
“Probably the swing issues and where it all stems from.”
McIlroy has done speed training, which has altered his swing.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t anything to do with what Bryson did at the U.S. Open,” he said.
DeChambeau was asked about McIlroy’s comments on Saturday.
“You know, I appreciate it, first off,” DeChambeau said, who is leading the tour in strokes gained/off-the-tee for the second straight year. “The second comment I would have that—I wasn’t trying to influence anybody. I was just trying to play my own game and hit it as far as I possibly could. And I knew there was going to be an effect. I didn’t know what it would be or who would be affected by it, but again, golf is a weird game.”
“This journey that I’m on is not taken lightly. I’ve tried to figure out a bunch of different variables that you have to in order to hit it straight, hitting it really far. I knew that there would be some people that would try and some people it would potentially not work for them and some people it may help them. So I really don't know that, but I do appreciate Rory's comments, it's kind of a sentiment almost and something that keeps me going every day.”
Heading into this week’s event at TPC Sawgrass, DeChambeau spoke about his possible plan to play the 18th hole. A lake famously goes down the entire left side of the hole, which has a slight dog-leg left. DeChambeau suggested he might try to hit his drive well left, across the lake, toward the 9th hole for a (theoretically) better angle to the 18th green.
“I'll probably give it a try, but it's most likely not going to happen," DeChambeau said. "If there's stands ... there's really no reason to go for it when I could just drive it 100 yards from the green if I get a good wind normally. It's not really that big of an advantage, but taking the water out of play and having an easier second shot, it may be easier, I don't know."
DeChambeau hardly said he was absolutely going to do it, acknowledging it might not present a noticeable advantage. As shown above by Arron Oberholser, the margin for error for an optimal second shot would be narrow. But the PGA Tour nipped it the butt anyway.
Citing safety for the installation of out of bounds is fine on the tour’s part. There’s also a chance the 9th hole would’ve been being played by others if DeChambeau wanted to try that drive, at least in early rounds, which presents an extra set of potential issues.
So DeChambeau is altering how his competitors approach their games, and McIlroy is not alone. The tour is now starting to alter course arrangements, based on even the hint he’ll do something unconventional-as if that’s a surprise to anyone who has watched him play.
Woods is in stratosphere all his own as we reflect on his peak. But DeChambeau is starting down his own path to change the game in a significant way, perhaps most notably stretching boundaries of how holes can be played.