U.S. Open 2016: Can Bryson DeChambeau really win this thing?
The reigning U.S. Amateur champion sure isn't short on confidence at Oakmont this year
By
Kyle Porter
•
3 min read
OAKMONT, Pa. -- Of all people to not give a crap about numbers, I would have not expected to see Bryson DeChambeau in that crowd. The man who calls himself an artist on the course has no regard for U.S. Open history, apparently. There are some pretty compelling stats that show that you have had pretty much no chance at winning the Open in the last two decades if you're outside the top six on the leaderboard after 36 holes.
But Bryson DeChambeau just does not care.
With a 70-71 in his first two rounds, DeChambeau is currently T16 behind Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk and others. But the reigning U.S. Amateur champion sounds pretty confident he can chase them down over the next two rounds.
"I've always looked forward to making the cut at the U.S. Open and hopefully doing better things in the future as well," said DeChambeau on Saturday afternoon after his second round.
"You never know what the next few days holds. If I play my best, I think I'll have a good shot. Every tournament I feel like I can possibly win. I don't think there's a golf course that doesn't suit my game. I like hitting the ball as straight as I can. I'm known for my ball striking. The putter gets hot, watch out."
Every tournament I feel like I can possibly win. I don't think there's a golf course that doesn't suit my game.
Wooo boy, that's some big boy "you better back that up with a trophy at some point" talk. This is part of DeChambeau's brilliance, though. You can talk all you want about his trigonometry or his system for hitting wedge shots or his zaniness on the course. Nothing has affected the way he plays like self belief. It hasn't always been like this though.
There were some dark years for DeChambeau in college. He once shot in the 80s twice in the same regional in 2013. But a belief in himself an unorthodox golf game anchored the once emotionally difficult DeChamebau. Now it's rare to see him anything other than completely focused on the most important shot he'll hit in a given round: the next one.
DeChambeau hit a lot of great ones on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as his first two rounds spanned three days. He touched 3 under at one point in his first round before going double-double on two straight holes. Still, he hit 68 percent of fairways and 61 percent of greens in regulation, both well above the field average. His 70-71 performance was steady and sure. He might not even need to go lower as the rest of the field will back up to him at 1 over.
And here's the thing, he's been here before. Not at a U.S. Open, mind you, but at the biggest amateur event the USGA puts on when he housed Derek Bard 7 and 6 in the title match.
The great thing about DeChambeau is that it feels like he's better than his resume. He has a presence about him in a field full of men with presence. He played in Jordan Spieth's group over the first two rounds, and Spieth didn't overshadow him.
DeChambeau destroys the golf ball in a controlled way that makes you take notice. He's outrageously impressive off the tee and keeps his ball on a string much like a top flight pitcher who has his best stuff in any given game.
It's at this U.S. Open that I've begun the movement to call the artist formerly known as Bryson DeChambeau, "Bryson DeChangelo" in honor of the famous Italian painter. So maybe Johnson runs away and hides this weekend, but maybe DeChangelo can mix it up with the 15 golfers in front of him. Maybe he's about to paint his Sistine Chapel this weekend with orange ProTracer shots and red numbers all over the place.
Bryson takes Oakmont? It has quite a ring.
