DeChambeau's unique style pays off at the Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio – Bryson DeChambeau looked sideways at Jack Nicklaus as the pair sat beside the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide trophy and heartfeltly thanked him for beginning the technological revolution in golf.

It brought a few laughs but under the light-hearted nature it was a dead serious comment.

DeChambeau is known as the mad scientist of the PGA TOUR. He uses same length irons. He uses physics to calculate his yardages. He has unconventional methods of training, practice and recovery.

And while some think he’s crazy… two wins on TOUR at age 24 is pretty impressive and an impressive validator.

But back to Mr. Nicklaus.

The 18-time major champion and tournament host was asked his thoughts on DeChambeau’s unique style.

“I was actually the first guy on TOUR to walk off a golf course to get yardages,” Nicklaus recalled.

“Prior to coming on TOUR there wasn't one single player that didn't play by eye. So that was the start of technology, you might say, so I guess I was the start of that.”

It was at this point DeChambeau interrupted to thank one of his idols for paving the way in a great moment.

“I read a green from not looking at the green, but I read a green from looking more of the surrounds and where water was going to go in a general bit and then where it was going to go off the green and then all that,” Nicklaus continued.

“The guys today have books for that. But I suppose I made my own book in my head. Was I, in my own way was I technical? Yes. But today it's a lot different things that they can do and get.

“If that's what winds your watch and that's what gets you to think about what you do and gets you to the ability to be able to play your shot, by gosh, use it, if you have it available to you.”

DeChambeau certainly uses what is available to him. Even if others don’t agree.

“I would say disappointed, because whenever you look at somebody, don't judge them by the cover, right?” he said of the scrutiny his views have come under.

“You got to judge them by the results and the work ethic and the dedication and the perseverance that the person has.

“Be able to look at them and say, all right, what is he actually doing, why is he doing this, could this actually be beneficial to me. And just take positives from the uniqueness of my game.”

DeChambeau doesn’t expect, or push, other TOUR players to follow his lead.

But Nicklaus wanted to go on the record … “You wait and see … he wins a few more tournaments, you find out how many people have sets with clubs the same length. Just guarantee it.”

OBSERVATIONS 

MICKELSON PLEASED WITH MOMENTUM: Phil Mickelson’s prospects looked grim after he opened with a 74 and was 3 over through his first eight holes of round two. His big finish, seven birdies over his final 10 holes, gave him a second-round 66 to make the cut, and he shot 70-68 on the weekend to get to 10 under, good for a T13 result. 

“A little bit of momentum,” Mickelson said, when asked what he took from his week at Muirfield Village. “After that first round I kind of got better and moved up the leaderboard each day. And the game, ball-striking and so forth, feels sharp. 

“I didn't score that well,” he added, especially lamenting having played the par-5 11th hole in 2 over for the week. “I gave up four shots there,” he said.

Mickelson made 24 birdies at Muirfield Village, but also 10 bogeys and two doubles. He now heads to Memphis for the FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind, a course he says is one of the most underrated on the PGA TOUR. And next week he’ll be at Shinnecock Hills for the U.S. Open, the one major that has eluded him. 

His revival this season has been fueled by a vintage short game; he came into the Memorial second on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting. And he putted well again at Muirfield Village, but again was slightly scattershot off the tee, hitting just 34 of 56 fairways. He planned on going to Shinnecock Hills for two days to prep for the U.S. Open before heading to TPC Southwind to drill down on the FedEx St. Jude, where he was in contention last year only to finish ninth. (It would be his last tournament with his longtime caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, before they parted amicably.) 

A win in Memphis would take care of some unfinished business from last year, would send Mickelson to the U.S. Open on a high, and would be his 44th victory on TOUR. He’s still never won the Memorial but going 66-70-68 after his crummy start was a victory in and of itself.

PLAYOFF LOSS TO SPUR STANLEY AND AN ON. The disappointment of losing a playoff against Bryson DeChambeau was evident for both Kyle Stanley and Byeong Hun An but the pair vowed to use it as motivation going forward in their quest for the FedExCup.

Stanley electrified the galleries with four straight birdies on holes 14-17 to join the lead before getting the first of a series of bad breaks on the 18th.

His tee shot in regulation was slightly right but it took a very hard kick off a tree and crossed the entire fairway into deep left rough forcing a lay-up. The resulting bogey left him part of the three-way playoff.

On the opening playoff hole he again lost his tee shot right and it bounced onto a terrible side hill lie. He barely advanced the ball and was lucky not to injure himself with his second.

The two-time TOUR winner eventually had to chip from off the green for his par chance only to see the ball unluckily scrape past the hole and leave him eliminated.

“It was a little frustrating … But that's golf. It happens and you just move on,” Stanley, who moves to 30th in the FedExCup said.

“I’m happy with the way I hung in there, pretty sour way to end the tournament, but all in all I feel like I did a lot of good things this week and we'll take the positives from it.

“I'm playing well, made a few adjustments on greens coming into this week and that seemed to help a little bit. Then for the most part my ball striking was good.”

An managed to take DeChambeau to an extra hole in the playoff before a poor approach left him needing to hit a very difficult flop shot to remain a chance.

Despite a difficult lie in the rough and the downhill nature of the green the former U.S. Amateur champion hit a wonderful shot to close range.

But DeChambeau made his birdie putt to ice the win.

Ironically it was the same putt An had in regulation that would have won the tournament.

“It would have been a lot better if I took the trophy. But at least I had a chance. That's a good thing,” An, who moves to 46th in the FedExCup, said.

“It is my best finish so far this season, which is pretty good. So I'm hitting well, putting well and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

“This definitely gives me confidence going onward and then if I keep giving myself a chance, then I think I will have a win soon.”

NIEMANN GAINS SPECIAL TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP. Joaquin Niemann has secured special temporary membership on the PGA TOUR in just his fifth start as a professional.

The teenage star from Chile claimed his third top-10 with a closing 73 enough to be tied sixth.

He will now be able to accept unlimited sponsor invites for the rest of the season as he looks to earn enough non-member points to earn a TOUR card for next season.

The 95 FedExCup points earned at Muirfield Village takes him to 275 non-member points – the equivalent to around 115th in the standings.

If he beats the mark of the man who finishes 125th at seasons end he will automatically get a TOUR card for next season.

He has locked up a spot in the Web.com Finals as another potential avenue to the TOUR.

NOTABLES

TIGER WOODS - Tiger Woods finished the Memorial T23 after a final-round 72. His putter woes continued as he ended the week second to last in Strokes Gained: Putting (-7.695). Read more here.

DUSTIN JOHNSON – A 5-under 67 to close pushed Johnson up to 11 under for the week, good enough to claim his sixth top-10 result of the season in a tie for eighth.

JUSTIN ROSE – The 2010 Memorial champion and winner last week at the Fort Worth Invitational had a chance to take the FedExCup lead and claim world No. 1 with a big finish. Unfortunately he could only muster a 2-under 70 and settled for T6.

JUSTIN THOMAS – The FedExCup leader maintained his spot on top of both the season long standings and the world rankings by closing with a decent 4-under 68. His T8 finish is a sixth top-10 this season.

RORY McILROY – A day after his blistering 64 McIlroy closed with a 69 to finish tied eighth.

RICKIE FOWLER – A pair of weekend 68s saw Fowler push into a tie for eighth.

ADAM SCOTT – Looking for a high finish to make a push for a U.S. Open berth the 13-time PGA TOUR winner had a forgettable 73 to drop into a tie for 35th. The Australian declined to talk and was yet to confirm if he would take his place at sectional qualifying. 

QUOTABLES

SUPERLATIVES

Low round: 7-under 65. Louis Oosthuizen.

Longest drive: 368 yards. Peter Uihlein Par-4 18th.

Longest putt: 54 feet, five inches. Patrick Rodgers.

Toughest hole: Par-3 16th (3.260) – Nine birdies, 15 bogeys, five double bogeys, one other.

Easiest hole: Par-5 5th (4.575) - 36 birdies, three bogeys, one double bogey.

CALL OF THE DAY

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