By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Bryson DeChambeau may be the most polarizing figure in golf but the big-hitting American had the packed galleries at Augusta National in the palm of his hands on Friday while he muscled his way into contention at the Masters.
The reigning U.S. Open champion, who joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit in 2022, was once viewed by many as arrogant, especially when he bulked up in an attempt to revolutionize golf and called the famed par-72 Augusta layout “a par-67 for me.”
But DeChambeau has since changed his public image, and while there may still be some haters, they were hard to spot on Friday as he never seemed more popular parading Augusta’s fairways en route to a four-under 68 that left him alone in second place.
Along the way, Masters patrons on tiptoes crowded the tee boxes and greens wherever he went in hopes of catching a glimpse of the twice major champion.
“The patrons have always been great here, first off. Even when I was in my trying times, I feel like there was still a lot of support,” said DeChambeau, who is one shot back of halfway Masters leader Justin Rose.
“Now it just feels like a bolster of energy everywhere. It’s quite different, and it’s a lot of fun.”
DeChambeau made his Masters debut in 2016 when he finished as the low amateur. After transforming his body to create a game that valued distance over all else he walked away from the 2020 edition dealing with dizziness and mental disorientation.
But DeChambeau, now slimmer, has evolved and matured on the course and, perhaps due in part to his popular YouTube videos, has somewhat of a magnetic pull whenever he tees it up.
Now DeChambeau, who led after 18 holes with an opening-round 65 at last year’s Masters, feels he has to complete a job he left unfinished a year ago.
“To win it takes a little bit of luck and a great amount of skill set. I feel like my skill set is the same, if not a little bit better in certain aspects,” said DeChambeau.
“So I’m just going to give it my absolute best, and whatever happens, happens. And I’m okay with whatever does happen.
“Because ultimately, it’s not – it’s not everything but it would be amazing to win. It’s just more, continue to keep putting myself in positions like this.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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