Bryson DeChambeau shot an impressive 3-under 67 to begin the 124th U.S. Open. He is one of 15 players who shot under par on Thursday, but that did not stop him from being completely authentic after his round.
Only DeChambeau could pick an immaculate adjective like this when discussing Pinehurst No. 2:
“It’s really diabolical out there,” DeChambeau said.
“Those greens, oh, my gosh, they can get away from you.”
It was a solid day for DeChambeau, who made four birdies and a bogey on his 16th hole, the par-4 7th.
DeChambeau leads the field in strokes gained off the tee, gaining 2.85 on the field. He is also eighth in strokes gained around the greens, picking up 2.17 on his fellow competitors.
In all, the 2020 U.S. Open champion hit 15-of-18 greens and 12-of-14 fairways.
He is right in the mix and just two shots behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay.
A birdie on 13 got his day started, but his momentum surged when he chipped in for a birdie on the 18th, his ninth hole.
His last two birdies came at the 3rd and 4th—both par-4s—before a mistake at 7 cost him his bogey-free round. He seemed pleased with his performance, but it was not a leisurely day on the course.
“I would say from a mental exhaustion perspective, this was probably the most difficult that I’ve had in a long, long, long time,” he said.
“I can’t remember the last time I mentally exerted myself that hard to focus on hitting fatter parts of the green instead of going for flags. I did that quite nicely until the last few holes.”
He knows how to recoup for Friday’s round, though, mentally and physically.
“Eat a lot. Get a lot of carbs and food in me, good protein, just recover tonight,” DeChambeau said of what he needs to do to prepare for round two.
“I have to get up early and go back at it in the morning. Recovery is going to be key. I’m going to go hit a couple of balls and make sure it’s all dialed in and ready for tomorrow. I do a lot of breathing techniques. It’s almost like nature now. So, I’ve got my techniques that I work on. Make sure my brain is in a good spot, get some good treatment, and really focus on the positives of the day.”
Everyone in the field seems to have some kind of strategy this week—breathing techniques are just one part of DeChambeau’s unique approach to the game.
But the LIV golf star’s recuperation period will be short as he, Viktor Hovland, and Max Homa will begin their second rounds on Friday at 7:40 a.m. ET.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.