For a humble Bryson DeChambeau, Augusta National Long looms

AUGUSTA, Georgia – It’s only been two years since Bryson DeChambeau entered the Masters Tournament as the reigning US Open champion, after earning that title by beating New York’s Winged Foot Golf Club with prodigious 350-yard drives to win with winning six tricks. He was the new face of golf and vowed to shape the sport in his image, which at the time was a muscular 240-pounder who had put on 45 pounds and swung so hard it almost hurt to watch.

DeChambeau, a physics student at Southern Methodist University, preached that he had used scientific research to construct a more powerful swing and recreate the paradigm of the modern golfer: One day, 400-yard drives would be routine and make many traditional courses obsolete . He predicted that its imposing length from the tee would cause the timeless Augusta National Golf Club to play as a par 67 rather than a par 72 on the scorecard.

His brash, reckless style energized golf, and the fiery, cheering galleries that followed him eclipsed those of any other golfer (Tiger Woods was injured). His fan base was also noticeably younger, a demographic shift welcomed by the game’s stewards. DeChambeau enjoyed the role of Pied Piper and promised that his golf revolution was in its nascent stage.

“It doesn’t stop; there’s just no way to stop it,” DeChambeau said.

On Wednesday, during a final practice session for his fifth straight Masters, DeChambeau sauntered down the eighth fairway alone. 50 yards behind him was his caddy; he had no playing partners. Not a single fan appeared to accompany him. As he approached a grandstand with about 1,000 seats overlooking the eighth green, 21 people witnessed his arrival. No one offered applause.

It was as if those who looked down on him weren’t sure who he was, which is perhaps understandable since DeChambeau is now one to two shirt sizes smaller and maybe 30 pounds lighter—possibly more. Late last year, he admitted to losing 20 pounds in one month alone by avoiding his former protein shake and overeating.

Whatever the cause, and the golfing community has multiple theories, over the past two years DeChambeau has become a shell of his former self in more ways than one. At the 2021 Masters, he tied for 46th place with three rounds of 75 or higher. In 2022, he missed the cut with an eight-over par 80 in the second round. So much for Augusta playing as a par 67. At the 2021 US Open, he led with nine holes to go and then collapsed when he shot eight over par to end the tournament.

He finished eighth at last year’s British Open, but other than that, his highest result in a major championship since his upset victory at the 2020 US Open was tied for 26th.

Prior to joining the LIV Golf circuit last June, he had missed the cut in four of his five PGA Tour events. In LIV competitions, he has never finished higher than 10th since then. Wrist surgeries added to his misery, as did a bout of vertigo that was later corrected with sinus surgery. In November, his father, Jon, who had taught his son how to play golf, passed away at the age of 63.

But earlier this week, a grinning DeChambeau arrived at Augusta National claiming he was healthier than he had been in years. He advised anyone trying to get stronger to see a doctor for a blood test that would measure food sensitivity, because DeChambeau believes he ate foods that caused inflammation and injury.

The highs and lows of his golf game, he said, have taught him that “inconsistency is the only consistent thing in life.” It’s the kind of questioning stuff DeChambeau has been saying ever since he labeled himself a rising star in the sport as the NCAA Division I Individual Champion and U.S. Amateur Champion in 2015.

As for shortening Augusta National to a par 67 because of his length from the tee—then shooting eight-over-par in his final Masters round—DeChambeau admitted no remorse for the comment.

“I don’t think I have any regrets,” he said, adding, “Because of that statement, people think I have no respect for the course. Are you kidding me?”

He continued: “With the distance I hit, I thought there was a possibility. I learn from all my mistakes.”

He has clearly tempered his expectations. When asked if he could win this week, he replied: “I don’t come here to finish second, but I will say I have a lot of work to do before I can get there.”

When DeChambeau completed his practice round after nine holes, he left the last hole in silence, despite the green being surrounded by several hundred fans. He stopped at one point when a few fans asked for his autograph. One of the group was Matthew Fehr, 16, of Alamo, California, who wanted DeChambeau to sign the cover of Golf Magazine starting in March 2021.

Fehr collects autographs from athletes and has had DeChambeau sign for him three times before, all during the height of the golfer’s popularity.

Asked about what he thought had gone wrong with DeChambeau over the years, Fehr said: “It was cool to see him hit the ball that far and he definitely caught the attention of the fans. But I don’t think what he did – the exercise regimen and the diet – was sustainable. Or healthy.”

Fehr added, “You know, in athletics there are checks and balances.”