[Photo: supplied LIV Golf]
LIV Golf is only round one into its Virginia tournament but already Bryson DeChambeau is showing signs his short game is ready for next week’s likely brutal US Open examination at Oakmont CC, after an insane three-hole stretch on day one gave him a share of the lead.
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DeChambeau shot 66 and co-led after day one at the Robert Trent Jones GC, host of the 2024 Solheim Cup and several President Cups.
Another US Open winner at Pinehurst, former world No.1 Martin Kaymer, who has struggled with injuries in recent years, matched DeChambeau’s 66 to share the lead at five-under.
Behind them, there was serious 2010 flavour sharing third place at four under, with Phil Mickelson (that year’s Masters champion) and Graeme McDowell (2010 US Open winner), as well as Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, and Joaquin Niemann. Leishman, the recent LIV Golf Miami winner who last week advanced to the US Open through 36-hole final qualifying, was best of the Australians at four under. Cameron Smith (one-under), Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones (both four-over) trailed their Ripper GC teammate Leishman.
DeChambeau managed almost 14 holes before play was suspended for 107 minutes due to weather. On his first shot when play resumed, two-time US Open champion DeChambeau chipped in for eagle at the 615-yard par-5 14th.
So, what did DeChambeau do during the delay?
“I got some treatment on my feet; I don’t know, just ate a little bit of food, some pasta,” DeChambeau said. “Man, what’s nice is coming out into some soft conditions. That little chip shot became a helluva lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right, exactly what I saw [happening]. I don’t know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin’ hole.”
At the 466-yard par-4 15th, DeChambeau made light work of the hole with a 359-yard drive and a wedge to the green before making another birdie.
At the par-3 16th, DeChambeau airmailed the green before pitching out of the rough and into the hole for another birdie.
DeChambeau said it was lucky his short game showed up as he was struggling with his putting early in the round. “I didn’t calculate the speed right; the [practice] putting green was just a fraction slower, and I just didn’t adjust to it very well. So I sucked at that.”
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DeChambeau also debuted a new set of custom irons from LA Golf, the BAD V3-W (5-9). He had been using a 3D-printed Avoda Golf Bryson DeChambeau Prototype iron set since last year’s Masters but tested the LA Golf set at the Asian Tour’s International Series India earlier this year.
He also mentioned on Golf Digest’s equipment podcast that the new clubs were designed by him and Jeff Meyer, the LA Golf Chief Design Officer. “We were hands on, went through the whole process, testing, researching,” DeChambeau said. “You’re going to see something special that no other OEM is doing.”
DeChambeau has been seriously contending in majors the past two years but, apart from Pinehurst last year, has struggled with his iron play. He played in the final group at this year’s Masters alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy but struggled to a T-5 after losing almost a shot per round in approach play according to Strokes Gained data. At the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, he earned a second consecutive T-2 at the event but again his iron play was the Achilles heel.
