Bryson DeChambeau, the captain of Crushers GC. Bryson, fired off a 66, 4-under today. You’re currently tied for eighth place. The Crushers are leading at 12-under.
Q. Tell us a little bit about your day?
We played good as a team. So I’m proud of the boys, proud of Paul for playing as well as he did. Disappointed I finished the way I did. I know Baan didn’t finish the way he wanted to, either. There’s some stuff we’ve got to work on, but all in all, I feel really proud of the boys, and it’s so much fun to play team golf.
Q. We’ve talked about this course; on first look people wouldn’t assume this would be a course that would suit your game ?
It’s not, actually. My wedges are not great right now. I’ve got to figure that out. I think this golf course is really unique and cool. There’s a lot of holes you can get after it, but you’ve got to have your iron play just on point. If it’s not, you’re going to get penalized.
It wasn’t terrible, obviously, but I just have higher expectations for myself. I just continue to work. I’ve got to keep working. It’s obviously not fully there yet.
Q. Obviously Paul was in a playoff last year to almost win it. He’s currently sitting at 7-under, clubhouse leader. What are your first reactions and thoughts on Paul?
I’m happy for Paul being at 7-under, but I’m going to come kick his ass here by the end of this week.
Q. What happened last year after the playoff? Did you talk to Paul? Was there a sense of disappointment or was there like, hey, came close?
Yeah, it’s obviously disappointment and also we came close, he came close. I know he wants to win out here. He’s got an incredible game, and he hasn’t won in a while, and he wants to prove that.
So he’s got a little bit of fire in his belly right now. It’s good. He loves this golf course. It’s a great golf course. A lot of great players out here, though. You can go deep. If you get on a hot streak and your wedges are working well and you’re rolling the putter, you can go 5-, 6-, 7-under pretty easy like Paul did.
Two more days. Proud of him. Still a lot of golf left.
Q. You talked about this course doesn’t maybe suit your game, but you’ve really got a team of shot makers behind you. It seems like the course fits your team.
Yeah, I think it fits our team pretty well. We are very strategic. We think we are methodical. We go through a process pretty consistently. We know what to expect. I think that’s what’s so great about this golf course is it doesn’t really fit one style of play. You can have a bomber play well; you can have Abe Ancer win last year. It doesn’t really fit anybody.
I think Paul just being the ball striker he is, the Popeye forearms and great iron player, he loves this place. It’s an iron player’s paradise.
Q. I was just wondering, are you one for team talks before the start of the tournament, and was there anything in particular you said this morning?
Oh, I say it every single time we’re on the range about to go off, just go kick some ass. Go have some fun, kick some butt. That’s about it. I let them do their work. They’re a lot older than me and a lot wiser than me. I almost rely on them sometimes more than giving them a little pep talk.
Q. What are you going to go do on the range?
I’m going to pound as many wedges as I possibly can. Not drivers, wedges this time. That’s a surprise. That means something good is happening, I guess, with my driving.
Q. Bryson, solid round today. I do sense a little disappointment and frustration with that finish here on the 1st. How would you assess your round today?
Not my best. Not even close. Struck it well. It was tricky out here. This golf course can play tricks on you. I putted pretty well. I drove it very well. My iron play was pretty solid. But for the most part, I’ve just got to go work on those wedges like I’ve been talking about. That’s what’s costing me everything.
Q. A big change this week with your golf ball. Can you talk to us about that and what are your thoughts after one competitive round?
It’s spinning too much with my wedges. If I try to hit a full shot, it’ll rip off the green, and clearly you saw that on 15, and that was from a 95-yard shot downwind, ripped back 30 feet. There’s something weird with me in general and the way I play golf. I’m looking for a golf ball that launches a lot lower, has controlled spin at a full swing and half swing still has spin. That’s really what I’m looking for right now, and hopefully I can go find a golf ball that can do that because I’m not changing my motion. I’m doing too well with that.
Q. You were winless on LIV last year, had a podium in Nashville. Between that you won a little something called the U.S. Open. What does it take for the rest of the weekend to seal the deal this week?
Not hitting wedges like that and certainly making those putts when you need them right there. If I can get my wedges dialed in and continue hitting it the way I’m hitting it, I’m going to give myself a chance.
Q. The Crushers are defending this week. You’re up there on the leaderboard. What suits you guys on a golf course like this?
think it’s just a strategic golf course, and we love strategic golf courses. We all think our way through the golf course pretty well, and that’s what suits our games.
