Bryson back in the bad books as 10 leads to rules official fallout
Bryson DeChambeau carded a rather entertaining 10 that led to a missed cut at the Memorial. And he didn’t hide his feelings
I always hear people talking of being in an “on-off relationship” and I’ve never really understood what it meant or who benefits. And then Bryson DeChambeau came into my life.
I love him, I hate him, I love him, I hate him. Ad infinitum. Ad nauseam.
I love him when he’s being a video game nerd, I hate him when he’s taking three minutes to tap in a gimme. I love him when he’s Scrappy Dooing in Brooks Koepka’s direction. I hate him when he behaves like he did at the Memorial.
DeChambeau has, without doubt, been the best player since the PGA Tour returned following the pandemic, finishing T3, T8 and T6 before winning his sixth title at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
- More Muirfield fun: Phil putts from 78 yards, lays up on par 3
- More Muirfield fun: Golf has a new World No 1
After a week off he returned to Muirfield Village for a tournament he won two years ago, but after an opening-round 73 that included a birdie largely thanks to a 423-yard drive, it was Friday where it all started to get a bit erratic.
DeChambeau bogeyed the 3rd and 4th before three straight birdies, and from the 10th he went bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie, bogey. Then came the par-5 15.
DeChambeau’s tee shot found the water then, after a penalty stroke, he hit a fairway wood out of bounds. After another penalty stroke DeChambeau inexpliclably did exactly the same thing again.
Another penalty stroke and, for the third time, pulled a wood and attempted to go for the green. Once again it headed towards the out of bounds fence before bounding down the cart path and coming to rest just shy of the greenside water hazard. That’s seven shots, if you’ve lost count.
DeChambeau then pitched on and two-putted for a 10.
But it was his behaviour that made it impossible to feel for him as he delivered one of the most relatable scenes of professional golf ever caught on camera.
Before he hit his eighth shot – the pitch onto the green – DeChambeau found out that his third shot – the fairway wood out of bounds – had actually come to rest underneath a fence.
DeChambeau, thinking it was actually in play, asked the rules official who told him it was out of play.
“Alright,” he replied (instead of “thank you”) before cameras caught him muttering about “getting a garbage ruling as usual”.
So he did what absolutely no one would do and asked for a second ruling. Another rules official arrived and gave him the same bad news.
Twenty-four minutes after his tee shot left his clubface, DeChambeau had finally finished the hole. The 10 was added to the other 66 shots he needed on Friday and 5-over was enough for a first missed cut since the Open at Royal Portrush.
Does he care about being a polarising figure? Of course not, but Eddie Pepperell summed it up rather nicely…
- More Bryson DeChambeau: Was his behaviour out of line in Detroit?
- More Bryson DeChambeau: Why his modern approach should be applauded
- More Bryson DeChambeau: Here’s what he eats on a daily basis
Follow NCG on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest equipment and golf course reviews and exclusive interviews.
Alex Perry
Alex has been the editor of National Club Golfer since 2017. A Devonian who enjoys wittering on about his south west roots, Alex moved north to join NCG after more than a decade in London, the last five of which were with ESPN. Away from golf, Alex follows Torquay United and spends too much time playing his PlayStation or his guitar and not enough time practising his short game.
