BIG, bad Bryson DeChambeau could change the face of golf forever if can repeat his stunning US Open victory at the Masters.
At the moment, there are plenty of people willing to play down the way he bludgeoned his way to a six shot win at Winged Foot as a one-off, a week when he got all the breaks, and could do no wrong
But if he blasts his way to a second major victory on a course that has absolutely nothing in common with Winged Foot?
That becomes a game changer, and it would inspire a generation of muscle-bound golfers, a trend that is already gaining ground with plenty of young Bryson wannabes out there.
No player has hogged the limelight in the build-up to a Masters since Tiger Woods was in his prime.
Even though he is the defending champion following a win for the ages at last year’s Masters, Woods has had to play second fiddle to the man he partnered – poorly – at the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Rory McIlroy’s latest bid to complete the career Grand Slam has been reduced to a mere footnote, while world No 1 Dustin Johnson’s attempt to continue his red hot streak with an overdue second Major triumph has barely earned a mention.
This one is all about DeChambeau, and it is impossible to escape him away from the course – his picture is on billboards all over Augusta, advertising his link with bookmakers and fantasy golf organisers DraftKings.
And if he lives up to all the hype, it will have the same sort of impact as Woods’ first Masters victory, by a ridiculous 12 shots back in 1997.
That year, Woods averaged an unheard of 323 yards off the tee – an incredible 25 yards more than the second longest hitter in the field.
That was the cue for panic reactions, and a round of Tiger-proofing that merely played into the hands of the longer hitters even more.
Augusta now measures 7,475 yards, compared to 6,925 yards in 1997.
DeChambeau has the power to distance himself from the rest of the field the way Woods did, and despite the fact most holes have been lengthened, he is hitting virtually the same clubs into these greens.
But it is not all about hitting the ball like a missile. DeChambeau led the scrambling statistics when he won the US Open, chipping and putting like a man inspired.
The high flop shots he kept hitting at Winged Foot, even from the gnarly rough, will not be as effective on Augusta’s tight lies.
So this is where we find out if Bryson’s brute strength can put him in position to pull off a very different kind of win.
Whatever happens, there is certainly no resentment among Dechambeau’s fellow players at the way he is attracting so much attention – or the extreme physical effort he has made to pile on forty pounds of extra muscle.
Woods is a big DeChambeau fan and said: “What Bryson has done has been absolutely incredible, and we have all been amazed at what he’s been able to do in such a short span of time. It’s never been done before.
“I had natural speed when I came out here. Bryson has put in the time, and he’s definitely put in the work.
“What he’s done in the gym has been incredible, and so is what he’s done on the range his entire team to be able to optimize that one club, the driver, and transform his game with the ability to hit the ball as far as he does.”
Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson also tipped the cap to this year’s bookies favourite.
Mickelson commented: “I think Bryson DeChambeau is a huge asset to the game of golf because we have a lot of people talking about what he’s doing.
“He’s thinking outside the box, and he’s willing to put in the work to accomplish it.
“It’s not just about creating strength. A lot of guys have bulked up and lost speed because muscles can get short and tight, and he has worked hard to create the strength and also the speed. That’s not easy to do.
“I’ve had a chance to see how hard he works in other areas, whether it’s brainwaves and his mental and cognitive function or what he eats.
“He works as hard as anybody does and thinks so hard about what is possible within the rules to create an advantage, and I have a lot of respect for that.
“I mean, the guy has made some massive changes that has required a lot of work – under intense scrutiny – and he’s putting himself out there and doing it.
“I hope it pays off for him again at some point like it did at the U.S. Open. He’s going to end up winning here at some point, whether it’s this week or in the future.
“He’s got the game and the brilliance, the work ethic, dedication. And all of these things combined, and then you look at what he’s doing as far as being a lightning rod to be talked about, like that’s really great for the game of golf.
“To have people interested in what he’s doing, how he’s doing it, why he’s doing it. I just think he’s awesome for the game, I really do.”
