Bryson DeChambeau Faces Tough Start at Masters
Bryson DeChambeau, the 32-year-old American golfer, faced a challenging first round at the Masters on Thursday. Known for his unique approach to the game, DeChambeau had been seen as a strong contender for the green jacket. However, he ended the day with a score of four-over-par, making it a difficult start to his campaign.
DeChambeau’s frustration was evident during his post-round press conference. He was particularly agitated when asked about his 3D-printed five iron. “I only hit it once today,” he said. “It prints in eight hours, machines in another three or four hours. Then you have to cut grooves in it, and do a bunch of other stuff. So you can have something within a day and a half.”
When questioned if he could print more clubs for the weekend, DeChambeau dismissed the idea. “No! It has to be USGA-conforming. There’s a whole process you have to go through.”
The golfer was then asked whether he would take a more aggressive approach on Friday to make up ground. “I’ve just got to take what the golf course gives me, try to hit my irons better,” he replied. “I drove it left on numerous occasions, hit a great drive on 18 and wind didn’t hurt it like we thought, that’s this game, that’s the golf course.”
He lamented his lack of control over his irons, stating, “Everybody has an ability to have weird things happen and today I didn’t have my irons under control.”
A Difficult Round
One of the low points of DeChambeau’s round came when he took three attempts to get out of a bunker, resulting in a triple bogey. This mistake significantly impacted his overall score and his chances of competing with the leaders.
When asked about the bunker issue, DeChambeau offered a brief response: “The bunker was softer than I anticipated,” without elaborating further.
At each of the last 20 Masters, the eventual champion has shot no worse than 72 in their opening round. DeChambeau’s performance on 11 led to a four-over-par 76, which is far from ideal.
Rivalry with Rory McIlroy
To make matters worse for DeChambeau, his rival Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, started strongly. McIlroy is currently tied for the lead at five-under-par, setting the stage for an exciting second round on Friday.
DeChambeau’s fascination with 3D-printed clubs aligns with his “Mad Scientist” moniker. He had previously tried to get these clubs approved for use at the Masters but was unsuccessful. The USGA has now cleared his five iron, though its effectiveness remains to be seen.
Before the Masters began, DeChambeau expressed his thoughts on the innovation. “We’ll see where it goes. We’ll see where it takes me. All I could say now is, if I don’t put them (3D-printed clubs) in the bag, it’s my fault now. There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn – even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision – what can I get from that.”
