The second time was a charm for Bryson DeChambeau at the Memorial Tournament. Relying on a stellar short game that included a hot putter, DeChambeau won the PGA Tour event hosted by Jack Nicklaus in only his second appearance by defeating Byeong Hun An and Kyle Stanley in a sudden-death playoff. The three competitors tied in regulation at 15-under par.
“This is probably the most important win of my entire career, because of the fact that it happened here at Jack’s course,” DeChambeau told the media. “And because it’s kind of validity to me being out here on tour as well, me being able to get the job done.”
DeChambeau carded rounds of 69, 67, 66 and 71 for his second win on the PGA Tour. His maiden victory came last summer at the John Deere Classic. With the win, the former U.S. Amateur and NCAA champion rose to No. 22 in the world rankings and No. 8 in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings. (The top eight players automatically qualify for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.)
DeChambeau, 24, had to grind for his second title. He only found the fairway five times in 14 tries during the final round at Muirfield Village. But his wedge play and putter were magical.
“I’ve struggled with my putting my whole life,” DeChambeau admitted.
An adjustment earlier in the week made the difference on the slick putting surfaces.
“Seeing putts go in is huge,” he added. “It’s very big for somebody’s morale.”
At the 18th, on the second hole of the playoff after Stanley was eliminated, DeChambeau struck an approach shot from 169 yards that finished 12 feet from the hole. He rolled the birdie putt into the cup to close out An and shake the hand of the tournament host—Nicklaus. In a brief on-green interview with CBS, DeChambeau struggled to find words to describe his feelings and the meaning of the win, finally saying he was “speechless.”
The U.S. Open tees off at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island in two weeks. DeChambeau will be in the field playing for another coveted national trophy, this one more prestigious than his U.S Amateur title. He is young and unorthodox in his approach to the game, but, as he proved at Jack’s place, DeChambeau may be more ready for the big stage than people think.
Bryson DeChambeau’s Clubs
(As reported by PGATOUR.com)
It is such an honor to win The @Memorialgolf. Thank you to everyone for all of the support this week! pic.twitter.com/SnThV0l5nH
— Bryson DeChambeau (@b_dechambeau) June 3, 2018
Bryson DeChambeau uses Cobra equipment, except for his putter. He has a novel approach to iron play, as explained by PGATOUR.COM:
“Unlike a traditional set that gets progressively shorter in length, DeChambeau’s lob wedge remains a consistent 37.5 inches (6-iron length) from the 4-iron through the 60-degree wedge. According to DeChambeau, the set allows him to create a repeatable single plane motion with every club.”
Here’s a look at his complete setup.
Driver: Cobra King LTD Pro (8.5 degrees) with Project X HZRDUS T1100 75X shaft
3-Wood: Cobra King LTD 3/4 (14.5 degrees) with Project X HZRDUS Black 85X shaft)
5-Wood: Cobra King F8+ (17.5 degrees) with Project X HZRDUS Black 85X shaft
Utility Irons: Cobra King One Length Utility (4-5) with True Temper X7 shafts
Irons: Cobra King Forged One Length (6-PW) with True Temper X7 shafts
Wedges: Cobra King V Grind (50 degrees) with True Temper X7 shaft; Cobra King WideLow Grind (55 and 60 degrees) with True Temper X7 shafts
Putter: SIK C-Series
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X
Neil Sagebiel
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