Bryson DeChambeau struggles at PGA Championship with a 6-over 76
Bryson DeChambeau’s major championship woes deepened on Thursday as the two-time US Open winner posted a 6-over 76 in the opening round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, reports BritPanorama.
The 31-year-old LIV Golf star finished the day in a tie for 130th place, sitting four strokes above the projected cut line of 3-over par. His struggles come just weeks after failing to make the weekend at Augusta National, raising the prospect of consecutive missed cuts at majors for the first time in recent years.
DeChambeau endured an erratic afternoon, with wayward tee shots finding hospitality structures and the punishing Aronimink rough throughout his round. His sole birdie arrived at the par-5 ninth, his final hole of the day.
Afterwards, DeChambeau bypassed the media and headed straight to the practice facility, where Golf Channel analyst Ryan Lavner observed him working through evident swing troubles. Lavner reported that the American remained on the driving range for close to an hour, going through three buckets of balls in an attempt to diagnose his issues.
Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav, Lavner noted, “He was clearly not comfortable with his swing. He started missing left, thought he had figured that out, and then all of a sudden started missing right. He absolutely could not figure it out.” This extended practice session highlighted the depth of DeChambeau’s technical concerns heading into Friday’s crucial second round.
However, Lavner indicated that DeChambeau’s ball-striking was not his primary concern from Thursday’s performance. “The biggest issue for Bryson was not even his ball striking,” Lavner stated. “That was mediocre or middling; it was his work around the greens. Up and down with just one in seven chances. He ended up losing a field worse three and a half shots around the green.”
Co-host Rex Hoggard pointed to the 11th hole as a pivotal moment in DeChambeau’s unravelling, highlighting a poorly executed wedge shot that led to an impossible position. Hoggard said, “You can get angry at the green and your first putt which ran all the way off the green on the other side, but you put yourself in that position.”
CBS analyst Johnson Wagner raised broader questions about whether DeChambeau’s game is suited to challenging conditions at major championships. He commented, “Honestly, I don’t think he’s a very good wind player. He has a real issue bringing the flight down on shots.” Wagner noted that DeChambeau performs well under perfect conditions but struggles to adapt under pressure.
Wagner also suggested that external factors may weigh on the American’s mind, noting observations that multiple players might be grappling with distractions amid the complexities of tour commitments and team dynamics. “There’s so many outside factors going on with a handful of these guys too,” Wagner observed. “Where am I going to play? What am I going to do? I just don’t think it’s a full tear down. I mean, it is concerning. It’s very concerning.”
As DeChambeau approaches the second round, the scrutiny of his performance intensifies. The interplay of skill, strategy, and external pressures continues to define the nature of competition at this level, leaving enthusiasts wondering how one of golf’s modern stars will respond to the mounting challenges ahead.
