TROON, Scotland — He’s arguably the most fascinating player in golf today.
That makes Bryson DeChambeau the most fascinating player to watch in this week’s British Open, which begins with Thursday’s first round at Royal Troon.
DeChambeau enters the week coming off a US Open victory last month at Pinehurst, a runner-up finish at the PGA and a tie for eighth at the Masters.
That incredible major-championship form, however, isn’t what makes DeChambeau so compelling this week.
It’s what he has in store as an encore on these tricky Scottish links with his mammoth power.
DeChambeau is incorrectly stereotyped as a as player who wins based on only brute strength.
Yes, he went through that phase in life, bulking up like the Incredible Hulk around COVID-19 and trying to overpower courses. He did some of that, including in his 2020 U.S. Open win at Winged Foot.
But, to DeChambeau’s credit, he realized that was not sustainable — for his body or his game — and he dialed it back.
His performance on Pinehurst No. 2, which offers similar nuance to what Troon will present this week, should make him a favorite to win a second major championship this year.
The most memorable shot, for example, that DeChambeau hit at the U.S. Open was his remarkable long bunker shot on the 18th hole in the final round. That shot won him the golf tournament.
“I don’t think it’s possible to overpower (Troon),’’ DeChambeau said in advance of Thursday’s opening round. “There’s too many hazards around the fairways, even in the bunkers. You’ve got to be very strategic out here.
“Look, I’ve played well on strategic golf courses in the past, whether it be RBC Heritage, I’ve played well there in the past. Valderrama, I played pretty well (in last week’s LIV Golf event). I had two top 10s there, finished second last year and ninth this year. Those are pretty strategic golf courses and very placement-oriented golf courses.
“So, I think I’m pretty solid at it, but overpowering this golf course, I don’t know if it’s possible.’’
Not with the course littered with 98 bunkers, many of which represent automatic one-shot penalties, because advancing the ball isn’t an option.
DeChambeau called himself “very confident’’ coming off his U.S. Open win.
“It all depends if I’m striking it well,’’ he said. “Really what matters is if I can continue to drive the ball as well as I have and ball strike my irons the way I know I can and putt the way I know I can. If I do those three things well, even four things with chipping and bunker play and on the greens, I’ll give myself a chance.
“I know how to get the job done. It’s just a matter of if I’m as consistent as I was at the U.S. Open.’’
After his U.S. Open win, DeChambeau famously paraded the trophy everywhere, letting tournament volunteers and spectators touch it.
“For sure, it would be awesome to let everybody touch the Claret Jug,’’ DeChambeau said of the British Open trophy. “That would be a dream come true. I’ve got to get the job done first. I can’t think too far ahead. I’ve got to focus on executing the shots under the right conditions and just take account of everything that’s going on and stay in the moment and execute the right shot.’’
DeChambeau, with his social media presence on YouTube, has embraced his role as an entertainer as much as he is a golfer.
“When I’m out here, I would say it’s more of a golfer than entertainer,’’ he said. “When I’m filming YouTube content, I’m definitely more of an entertainer compared to a golfer, but I still try to play the best I can. So, it flips. It’s not like I’m this percentage golfer, this percentage entertainer. It really flows depending on the situation I’m in.
“Major championship week, I’m focused on playing the best golf I possibly can. There’s going to be moments where I hopefully can showcase the fans a little something fun.’’