Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson James Aldrich DeChambeau was born in Modesto, Calif., and started playing golf at age 7 when his family moved to Clovis, which is east of Fresno. He was always the smartest in his class. At age 6, his math skills were off the charts as he was a master of math and even understanding algebra. During high school, he would rewrite textbooks and, by doing that, was able to understand things on a comprehensive level. Even today, his clubs have physics formulas stamped on them.
DeChambeau has always done things differently. His signature Hogan cap dates back to when he was 13. He saw the cap in a pro shop, bought it, and it has become his signature look ever since. At 15, his instructor Mike Schy gave him "The Golfing Machine," a book by Homer Kelley. After reading it many times, Bryson along with the guidance of Schy, came up with a single-plane swing that's called a "zero shifting motion." At 17, he and Schy developed his first set of single-length irons by grinding down a bunch of shaft flexes and clubs. It's not just the length of each iron shaft. Bryson's clubs, which are 37 and a half inches long, the length of a standard 7-iron, are set at 72-degree lie angles that are 10 degrees more upright than standard. To achieve a consistent swing weight, all the clubheads are 278 grams. He uses JumboMax golf grips on his clubs, which are the largest on the market. They help him hold the club in his palms. As an amateur, he would float his golf balls in water and Epsom salts to check that the center of gravity is perfectly in the middle. At age 16, he won the 2010 California State Junior Championship. Two years later, he graduated from Clovis East High School and went to SMU in Dallas on a scholarship and majored in physics.
At SMU, DeChambeau wore the Ben Hogan-style cap while playing golf and dressed a bit like another SMU golfer, Payne Stewart. He earned first-team All-America honors and was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2014-15.
In June of 2015, DeChambeau finished his junior season at SMU by capturing the 2015 NCAA Division I individual crown, recording a score of 280 (-8) to win by a stroke. He was named a first-team All-American, the first in SMU history. Other collegiate victories include the 2014 American Athletic Conference Championships and 2015 Erin Hills Collegiate. DeChambeau finished 2nd at the 2013 Conference USA Championship. He was named first-team All-Conference, as well as the Conference USA Freshman of the Year.
He also helped the U.S. win the Eisenhower Trophy at the 2014 World Amateur Team Championship by posting an event- and course-record 61 during the second round. He advanced to the Round of 16 in the inaugural 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Austin Smotherman after finishing 5th in the stroke-play portion. Prior to his win in 2015, his best U.S. Amateur finish (in four appearances) was his advance to the Round of 16 in 2014. He advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. DeChambeau made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur in June 2015 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic near Memphis, Tenn., and finished 45th. He played in his first major championship when he qualified for the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay but missed the cut by four strokes.
In August 2015, he won the U.S. Amateur title, defeating Derek Bard 7 & 6 in the 36-hole final at Olympia Fields just outside of Chicago. He became the fifth player to win both the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles in the same year, joining Jack Nicklaus (1961), Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1996), and Ryan Moore (2004). After winning the U.S. Amateur, Bryson got to play on the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team -- he won two matches and halved another in the team's loss at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. On returning to Texas, DeChambeau said he was looking forward to his senior year at SMU, where he majored in physics.
But on September 29th, 2015, DeChambeau was faced with a tough decision when the NCAA banned the SMU golf program from the postseason due to recruiting violations, meaning he wouldn't be able to defend his NCAA title. So on October 14th, Bryson decided to leave SMU in his senior year to prepare himself for his impending professional golf career.
After the announcement, he played as an amateur at the Argentina Open (MC), Australian Masters (T-2nd), Australian Open (T-30th), Abu Dhabi Championship (T-54th), Qatar Masters (67th), Dubai Desert Classic (T-18th), the Arnold Palmer Invitational (T-27th) and the Masters (T-21st). In the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, DeChambeau was paired with Rory McIlroy. Both young men put on a show, as DeChambeau bogeyed the final hole for a 66 while McIlroy birdied it for a 65. At the Masters, he was among the leaders in the second round before a final-hole triple bogey sent him down the leader board to a T-8th. Bryson scrambled over the weekend, shooting 77-72 to finish T-21st and Low Amateur. He turned professional after the 2016 Masters, thus forfeiting exemptions into the U.S. Open and the British Open. His first professional start was at the RBC Heritage, where he finished T-4th, four strokes behind winner Branden Grace.
When he turned professional and started playing on tour, he got to be known as the "Golfing Scientist" and "Mad Scientist" due to his unique approach to the game. DeChambeau is the ultimate science guy, applying a variety of analytics to help improve his game. He employs every means of technology, including biomechanics experts, to understand optimal swing speeds, and dietary and medical experts in order to transform his body from a tall, slender man into a version of the Hulk cartoon character. He also got in the habit of consuming 3,500 calories per day, including drinking up to seven protein shakes. His autograph is the most unusual on tour. Though he's right-handed, Bryson can sign his autograph backward with his left hand. He spent hours perfecting his handwriting in southpaw fashion.
2016 Notes: The season was highlighted by his top-5 performance on the PGA Tour in his professional debut and his maiden professional victory on the Korn Ferry Tour, securing his 2016-17 PGA Tour card in his first-ever Korn Ferry Tour start. Made his professional debut at the 2016 RBC Heritage, finishing T-4th, just four strokes behind champion Branden Grace. After finishing T-38th at The Memorial, was T-15th at the U.S. Open. Earned a spot in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals via non-member FedExCup points following 10 starts on the PGA Tour. Won in his Korn Ferry Tour debut at the DAP Championship, the first event of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Led Zack Sucher by one stroke entering the final round, but struggled early with bogeys on two of his first six holes. He tied for the lead with his first birdie of the final round at the par-5 ninth hole and took a one-stroke lead with his second birdie of the day on the par-5 16th. On the par-3 17th, he fell into a share of the lead with three others after three-putting for the first time the week. After hitting his approach into the left rough on the 18th, he made a clutch up-and-down to secure a spot in a four-way playoff. He answered Andres Gonzales' 30-foot birdie with a three-foot birdie of his own to force another playoff hole, where he defeated Gonzales with a par for his first professional victory. Locked up his PGA Tour card for the 2016-17 season with rounds of 64-70-68-71 - 273 (-7) and the $180,000 first-place check. Became the 15th player in Korn Ferry Tour history to win in their first start on the Korn Ferry Tour.
2017 Notes: Played in 31 PGA Tour events, making 14 cuts with two top-10 finishes, but they were a win and a second. Was 49th in the final FedExCup standings. After his win on the Korn Ferry Tour the year before, he struggled. In his first 14 starts in events around the world, he made the cut in only four of them. His best finish was T-27th at the Valspar Championship. He then posted his best finish on the PGA Tour so far, T-2nd at the Puerto Rico Open. The next week, he finished T-44th in Houston but then missed the cut in his next seven events. His game seemed to come around after missing the cut at the U.S. Open, his seventh missed cut in a row. Was T-26th at the Travelers, T-17th at the Quicken Loans, and T-14th at The Greenbrier. Then everything came together at the John Deere Classic, where he shot 66-65-70-65 to win his first PGA Tour title and a last-minute invite to play in the British Open, where he missed the cut. Was T-33rd at the PGA Championship and played in three FedExCup playoff events, finishing 49th in the final standings.
2018 Notes: Started the year putting side-saddle but had to abandon the style when the USGA ruled one of his side-saddle putters was non-conforming. Played 26 PGA Tour events, making 22 cuts. Was in the top-10 nine times. Started the year with a T-7th at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and T-5th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Shot a final-round 68 to take 2nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, three strokes behind winner Rory McIlroy. Was T-3rd at the Heritage, one stroke out of the playoff, and 4th at the Wells Fargo. He registered a win at The Memorial with a birdie on the second playoff hole to defeat Byeong Hun An to win. At 24 years, 8 months, 18 days, earned his second PGA Tour win in his 62nd career start. Was T-9th at the Travelers Championship. After finishing T-51st at the British Open, played in the Porsche European Open in Germany. Was tied for the lead with Richard McEvoy going into the final round, but shot 78 with a 43 on the second nine to finish T-13th, five strokes behind winner McEvoy. After missing the cut at the PGA Championship, he went on a tear, winning the Northern Trust and the Dell Technologies Championship in the FedExCup playoffs. Was 1st in the FedExCup standing going into the Tour Championship, but after finishing 19th at East Lake, closed the year 3rd in the final standings. Was a captain's pick in his Ryder Cup debut, but lost all three of his matches, one with Tiger Woods as his partner and another with Phil Mickelson. Lost to Alex Noren 1-up in singles.
2019 Notes: Played in 21 PGA Tour events, making 17 cuts with five top-10 finishes. In his first start of the year, he won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, defeating Patrick Cantlay by a stroke. After the win, he told the media about his brain training and breathing methods. Became the first player with three wins in five starts since Dustin Johnson in 2016-17. Finished 7th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and T-10th at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Won again at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, his first international victory and maiden European Tour title. His 24-under-par total was a tournament record as he won by seven strokes. The win in Dubai marked his fourth victory in his last nine worldwide starts. The next week, he finished T-6th at the Saudi International. Was T-29th at the Masters, T-8th at the Travelers Championship, and T-2nd at the 3M Open, a stroke behind Matthew Wolff, who eagled his final hole. Ended the year with a T-12th finish at the Tour Championship and 12th-place finish in the FedExCup standings. Played in his first Presidents Cup, where he lost a four-ball match with Tony Finau and halved his singles match with Adam Hadwin.
2020 Notes: Played in 17 PGA Tour events, making 14 cuts with nine top-10 finishes. Was 22nd in the FedExCup standings. Finished T-4th in defense of his Shriners Hospitals for Children Open title. Started a streak of good play at the Genesis Invitational, finishing T-5th three strokes behind winner Adam Scott. In his next start, was 2nd at the WGC-Mexico Championship, a stroke behind winner Patrick Reed. It was his first top-10 result in a WGC event. Finished 4th in his next start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, three strokes behind winner Tyrell Hatton. During the COVID-19 break, DeChambeau found himself bored and wanted to do something. At SMU, he was a physics major and a total nonconformist. He would soak golf balls in Epsom salts to determine their center of gravity. DeChambeau signed autographs backward with his left hand even though he is right-handed. In his mind, he has to chase down the most scientifically efficient way to get the golf ball in the hole. Over the course of the year, he threw himself into an extreme weightlifting routine and added 40 pounds to his physique, mostly to his upper body. He added 20 pounds before the break and the other 20 while he was isolating because of COVID-19. After the break, he showed up at Colonial at 240 pounds and with added strength to increase his ball speed. It showed. Of the 50 longest drives of the week at the Charles Schwab, he owned 10 of them with eight over 349 yards, and finished T-3rd, a stroke out of the Berger/Morikawa playoff. The next week, finished T-8th at the RBC Heritage, then T-6th at the Travelers Championship. He won his sixth PGA Tour title at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, defeating Matthew Wolff by three strokes. DeChambeau became the first winner in the Shotlink era (since 2003) to lead the field in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee and Strokes Gained Putting. He also led the field in Driving Distance (350.6 yards). The win marked his seventh consecutive top-10 finish. He cooled down a bit, missing the cut at The Memorial. At the PGA Championship, he fired rounds of 66 on Saturday and Sunday to finish T-4th, three strokes behind winner Collin Morikawa. When DeChambeau birdied four of his first seven holes on Sunday, he had a share of the lead, but bogeys at 8 and 9 dropped him back. His T-4th was his first top-10 in 15 major starts. In the FedExCup playoffs, he missed the cut at the Northern Trust, was 50th at the BMW Championship, and 22nd at the Tour Championship.
2021 Notes: Won the September U.S. Open by six strokes over Matthew Wolff. It was his first major championship title and seventh win on the PGA Tour. The victory came in his 16th major championship appearance and sixth at the U.S. Open. Became the 12th player to win the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open. Became the third player to win those two events and an individual title at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, joining Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Marked the first major championship victory by a former SMU player since Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open. Was the only player in the field with an under-par final-round score (3-under 67) and the only player to finish the tournament under par (6-under). After a first-round 62 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, he finished T-8th. Closed with a final-round 66 to finish T-7th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Earned his 8th career PGA Tour title and second of the season, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational by a shot over Lee Westwood. Became the first multiple winner of the season and was the only player in the field to record four under-par scores.