DETROIT – After six top 10 in a row, Bryson DeChambeau found the winning formula.
After all the experiments, tinkering with equipment, angles and math, increasing and adding distance, DeChambeau put it all together and won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. He did it while many outside wondered if his strategy made sense, if it was sustainable and if it would ever pay off.
Since joining the PGA Tour, DeChambeau has been known as someone who takes a methodical and analytical approach to his swing and golf career. Mathematics and science factors rather than feeling and touching.
It has never been traditional, with its long irons and an uncomfortable-looking swing. DeChambeau embarked on his confident path that he was slowly building the right formula for what it would take to win consistently. This season he has had five wins in the PGA Tour, but he wanted consistency and wanted to build himself in a car that could take him where he thinks he can go.
Most recently, he used his spare time from the tour, a three-month layoff forced by the coronavirus pandemic, to tinker with the formula, deciding to put 20 pounds to add mass and speed for greater distance. He averaged 340.4 yards from the tee at the Charles Schwab Challenge and showed what he was working on in his lab.
“It has completely changed the way we play,” said Kevin Kisner to CBS after the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Every week – his weight gain is now up to 40 pounds – the more DeChambeau the farther he hit the ball, the more heads started spinning.
As with something new or different, skepticism was still rampant. Finishing the top 10 week after week is impressive, but he’s not winning.
“I think every time someone hits a lot and hits straight, it’s impressive,” said Dustin Johnson when asked about DeChambeau after his victory in the traveler championship. “But you still have to put it in the hole. It doesn’t matter how far you hit it. You have to do it in the hole.”
Despite losing 46 points on an equal footing in his first three tournaments, without success, DeChambeau was not credited. The added muscle was all for the show if it didn’t put it at the top of the rankings.
He also showed disappointment, saying he hadn’t found his “A-game”, which was still looking for the peak he knew was in him. It was no doubt; it was his way of expressing externally that he knew that everyone was looking and judging and that he too expected more from himself.
He knew that if it didn’t work, the criticisms would be many. But he also knew that he had put in all the work and in the end it would have paid off. Using a metaphor when comparing himself to a casino and saying that the house always wins, DeChambeau has repeatedly said that he must go on and keep pushing forward.
The house always wins and he knew it was coming.
“It’s a big momentum for the majors. I feel it’s a good test for me, hitting units in tight areas. No. 7 hasn’t been easy this week, and I’ve done great races there all week,” said DeChambeau the Rocket. Mortgage Classic. “[On hole] 18, I was doing a great job when I had to – absolutely had to. If I hit it in the water or a little to the left or a little to the right, I am struggling to par, but I was able to give myself a nice wedge shot in there.
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Bryson DeChambeau says his victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic has been exciting and he hopes it will inspire others to achieve their goals.
“It gives me some forward confidence that I know I’m going in the right direction with my driving and my game.”
He has yet to make it to the majors this season – the first one is a month away from the PGA Championship – but DeChambeau is already collecting dividends from his investment.
It’s not just hitting away from the tee. He is also scoring, and has been hunting in all tournaments since the return of golf in June. Her driver is driving a mile, but having more distance in her shoes will pay off in the long run.
Hitting a 9-bar, a high-percentage club 190 meters away is not an option for most players. It’s for DeChambeau, and he’s using it to his advantage.
Most of what he has done in his career is not an option for most players, and it is who he is. Playing through criticism from other players, the media and fans, DeChambeau has not pulled back on his formula.
“Yes, there is no secret that hitting the ball far is a huge advantage,” said Viktor Hovland. “Now, you must also hit straight to get all the similar shots [he] he is making money on the field. I think you can look at it and say, “Oh, it’s crazy, I would never do it.” But the thing is, it works. “
While so many on the outside wondered when or if a victory would occur, DeChambeau kept trying to improve. After the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, he said he wasn’t comfortable with his driver, and it was something he needed to improve on. After the third round, he said he thought he would improve every day with the driver. Not surprisingly, while he was becoming more comfortable, he was also approaching the top of the ranking.
He acknowledges that there is still work to be done. Now that he has the power and distance he has, he needs to improve his wedge game. Having shorter distances from the green means he is hitting shots that weren’t in his repertoire before his body was redone.
He is confident that it will also come over time.
He will continue to play like home, not letting external distractions get into his head and continuing to work. His victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic is already showing that his efforts are far from an experiment.
He made a calculated attempt to gain an edge over the competition. Now he has that advantage sitting in his bag.
He’s bombarding him from the tee, but he’s also putting the ball in the hole and scoring. If he continues to fumble and becomes more and more comfortable every week, he will have confidence that his long-term investment will pay off in large.
But just like a casino, DeChambeau looks no further than the bets made that day. For now, he’s focused on what he’s facing, rather than the majors and what lies ahead.
“I’m not even worried about that,” said DeChambeau. “This is one of those things that when everything aligns and comes into play, it will take care of itself.”
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