NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — There's never a dull moment when Bryson DeChambeau is on the course. Even when he's missing cuts.
Following the two-time U.S. Open champion around Aronimink Golf Club during the PGA Championship was a masterclass in what makes him one of golf's most fascinating figures. Sure, his Friday round was crawling toward an early exit—no chance of making the weekend. But that didn't stop Bryson from being, well, Bryson.
Ever seen a tour pro pick something out of his ear with an extra-long tee? Neither had we. Until Friday. There was DeChambeau, mid-round, using a tee like a Q-tip while his playing partners Rickie Fowler and Ludvig Aberg stayed locked in their own worlds. Golfers, right?
On the par-4 15th, DeChambeau delivered what weekend hackers call a "double sandy"—driving into a right bunker, finding a left greenside trap with his second, then holing a lengthy putt for par after an indifferent sand shot. Does a man with millions of YouTube followers and two major titles even know that term? You have to wonder.
It's remarkable how the narrative shifts when you're a player of his caliber. Arnold Palmer in his prime. Tiger Woods in his prime. Now Bryson DeChambeau in his prime. You show up at a major on Thursday thinking about adding another Grand Slam victory to your legacy. Palmer finished with seven. Woods sits at 15, and it's uncertain if he'll add another. DeChambeau has two U.S. Opens—but will there be more? Nobody knows.
What we do know: he's golf's $500 million (or something close) free agent with a swing all his own, a reinvented personality, and a broad back carrying that hefty price tag. It can't be easy.
At the Masters, he made triple-bogey on 18 and missed the cut by two. And still, he signed autographs.
That's Bryson DeChambeau—different, unpredictable, and always worth watching, no matter the score.